Another Word for Alchemy
by FanPanda13
Summary: Five years have passed since the Avatar defeated Fire Lord Ozai, and the members of the Gaang have all gone in their own direction. But when Aang invites them all to a Peace Summit at the North Pole and tells them of his new project, for which he will need their support, the group comes together again for adventure, fun and romance. AU. Zutara. COMPLETE.
1. Prologue Shots

Dear Readers,

This Avatar alternate universe story stems from my personal frustration with what I thought was near-perfect canon right up until Katara became Aang's girlfriend at the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender (the cartoon). The story is shamelessly focused on Zutara. It includes Sukka, but no Taang. It deviates from canon just before Katara kisses Aang in the last episode of the series, and completely disregards the Legend of Korra, as well as the later ATLA comic books. This is how I wish ATLA would have ended.

If you stumble across this story, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was a guilty pleasure for me.

FanPanda13

**Disclaimer: ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.**

* * *

"Thank you Katara."

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you."

Katara looked down into Zuko's golden eyes, her own vision blurred with tears. His gaze was warmth radiating up at her, and she was grateful for their friendship, which had been tested to the extreme today. There had been a time when Zuko would have been the last person willing to throw his own life in front of hers. There had been a time when she would have been the last person capable of thwarting the attacks of his insane sister, Azula, quickly enough to save his life. But today they had both been the best versions of themselves.

Katara helped Zuko back up, and the two watched somberly as Azula writhed in hysteria from her chained position.

"We won," Zuko said, the dawn of realization in his voice. "Do you think Aang…?"

"Yes," Katara said. "He had to." She thought of the last time she had seen Aang and how confused he had been about what he needed to do. She thought briefly of how she had refused to let him kiss her, and an uneasy feeling of regret settled inside her. But her hope in Aang was infallible. The boy she had found in the ice a year earlier was different now, more confident and sure of himself. She knew in her heart he had defeated Fire Lord Ozai, and he'd done it his way.

Zuko nudged her gently with his shoulder. "Hey," he said. "I have a good feeling about this. I think Uncle was right. Today, destiny was our friend."

"I know," Katara said, though she looked down. "For so long, I've worried more about Aang's safety than anything else. I can't even imagine a world without him."

"I understand," Zuko said. "He represents hope for us all. He's the only one who can restore balance."

Katara turned and studied Zuko. A hot summer breeze rustled his shaggy hair. His scar stood out in contrast to the handsome grace of the rest of his face. He looked to be at peace, settled and strong though there was a sadness in his eyes as they continued to watch Azula struggle in vain. Aang wasn't the only one who had changed over the last year. The selfish prince that chased them around the world was gone, and in his place was one of the most honorable, brave warriors she knew. Katara felt confident the Fire Nation was in good hands.

"I think you underestimate your own role in this," she said. "You are the one who will bring hope and balance to the Fire Nation."

Zuko bowed his head. "All I can give my people is a humble servant."

"Zuko," Katara said, "that's exactly what they need."

* * *

The strange thing, Zuko reflected as he struggled into his dress robes the day of the coronation, was how easy it was to miscalculate destiny. A year ago, he would have done anything to capture the Avatar and bring him back to the Fire Nation as a prisoner. Anything to regain the honor he thought his father could restore. Instead, Zuko had joined the Avatar and helped him learn the skills necessary to defeat his father, the Fire Lord. Now Ozai was defeated, Avatar Aang was here in the Fire Palace as Zuko's guest, and Prince Zuko was about to become the new Fire Lord.

Fire Lord Zuko. The ominous title sat heavy on Zuko's shoulders. It would be his duty to restore his country's honor, helping his people rise from the ashes of their own destructive past to become citizens of a kinder world. The burden was lightened only by the strong friendships he'd made. Today when Zuko was crowned Fire Lord, the Avatar would be there too, along with his friends. Their mutual friends.

Zuko's first act as Fire Lord would be to present Aang himself to the people of the Fire Nation as the true hero. But there were many other heroes. Sokka – who had somehow taken out a huge invasion force with Suki and Toph – would later make stupid jokes at Zuko's expense. It would hearten Zuko because Sokka represented a true and reliable ally. Katara – Sokka's sister and the girl who had stood between Zuko and Aang until Zuko had finally come around to the understanding that his role was to stand next to Katara and fight _for_ Aang instead of against him – would be there too. Her friendship was almost too good to be true, as was the powerful way in which she had come to his aid in the end. To his country's aid, really. Now it would be up to him to prove that his people were worthy of redemption.

Zuko grunted. He was the future Fire Lord. Why couldn't he get into this damn robe? He wished-

"You need some help with that?" A melancholy voice came from behind.

"Mai!" Zuko smiled, surprised. "You're okay!" He walked toward Mai with open arms. She smiled back and came to help him into his robe. Zuko had never been happier to see his sullen ex-girlfriend. She had proven that she too would stand by him when he needed her. "They let you out of prison?" he asked.

"My uncle pulled some strings," she explained. "And it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend."

"So does this mean you don't hate me anymore?" he asked. She tied the robes and faced him, putting her hand gently on his chest.

"I think it means," - she blushed - "I actually kind of like you." Zuko thought happily back to the days he and Mai had spent together months before. Mai represented a part of his life that was easy. He'd never had to work to get her to like him. She just naturally did, and she was pretty when she was in a good mood. She lifted her hand to his face, placing it lightly on the unscarred side. They kissed. That was pretty great too.

Zuko broke the kiss in good spirits, thankful to have Mai back. "But don't ever break up with me again!" Mai emphasized, her face turning fierce. Zuko grinned nervously. Mai was downright scary in a bad mood, although there _was_ something attractive about an intelligent, frightening girl being into you. But then she softened again, and they held each other in a calm embrace. He'd have to remember not to get on her bad side again anytime soon.

Aang was meditating in the hallway when Zuko found him a little while later. The boy was barely thirteen, but he had the look of someone with an old soul. Zuko walked briskly toward him.

"I can't believe a year ago my purpose was hunting you down," Zuko reflected. "And now…" he hesitated.

Aang looked up at him with eyes full of light. "And now we're friends."

"Yeah," Zuko said, glancing away. "We _are_ friends."

"I can't believe a year ago I was frozen in a block of ice. The world's so different now."

"And it's gonna be even more different," Zuko said, putting his hand on Aang's shoulder. "We'll rebuild it together." He gave the Avatar a quick hug, and they walked out to greet the citizens who had come to see the coronation.

The bells gonged and the crowd cheered as Zuko stepped out from behind the curtain. "Please," he said, "the real hero is the Avatar." Aang walked up next to him. Their friends cheered from the front rows and Zuko talked about building an era of love and peace. Zuko could see Mai fanning herself and looking royally bored near the front of a column of citizens dressed in red.

"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" he heard the sage announce. He caught Mai's eye and she rolled hers back at him, but she straightened her posture a little, like she was proud to be the Fire Lord's girlfriend. He glanced over the rest of the crowd. Sokka was waving a boomerang and yelling things like: "All hail Zuko! Lord of all things that do NOT suck!" and: "Aang, Aang, he's our man, if he can't fix it no one can!" It was no wonder Suki had decided to stand with the Kyoshi Warriors. Toph was giggling and punching the air with her fist while some bulky guy hoisted her up and down. Katara was just smiling contentedly up at him and Aang. She caught Zuko's eye and mutual affection passed between them while the memory of their fight with Azula flashed back to him. Uncle Iroh gave him a grin and a thumbs up from where he stood with the members of the White Lotus society.

Zuko had definitely miscalculated. He had thought returning to his father after taking down the Avatar would bring him honor and earn him his family's love. Today, though, the Avatar and his friends were Zuko's family. The bond humbled him.

* * *

Katara stood over Mai's shoulder, watching her pai sho match with Suki. She and her friends had gathered in General Iroh's new tea shop for a relaxing afternoon of doing nothing before they separated for the rest of the summer. The tea shop included several pai sho tables, and Katara had never learned to play. Still, she could tell Mai and Suki were well-matched.

"See that," Mai said to Katara, taking one of Suki's pieces. "That's called Crouching Tiger-Seal, Hidden Dragon."

Suki frowned. "I can't believe I fell for that."

Mai's expression didn't change, but Katara thought she saw the hint of a smile quirk up at the corner of the sullen girl's mouth. She hadn't expected to like Azula's friends, but Katara found Mai sharp and witty and it was too funny the way Sokka was going crazy with Suki and Ty Lee (who had always had a thing for her brother) getting so close. Zuko walked toward the game table with a tray of tea, and Katara thought it was rather nice to see Zuko happy with a girl, too. Even one with a talent for throwing sharp knives. Though there was something about seeing Zuko with Mai that made Katara feel a funny combination of relief and regret.

"Zuko, stop moving!" Sokka cried, exasperated. "I'm trying to capture the moment." He stuck his tongue out as Katara walked over to see what he was doing.

"That's very thoughtful of you Sokka," she said. Then she looked down. Had her stupid brother drawn her as a Rabaroo? "Wait!" she said, "Why did you draw me with Momo's ears?"

"Those are your hair loopies," Sokka explained, clearly somewhat offended.

Zuko, Suki and Mai joined to check out the painting. Zuko shot Katara a look from across the table that said something not entirely kind about her brother. "At least you don't look like a boarcupine," he said. "My hair's not that spiky!" Katara laughed.

"I look like a man," Mai said.

"And why did you paint me firebending?" Suki asked.

"I thought it looked more exciting that way," Sokka defended. Katara shook her head and patted Suki's arm. They were joined by Momo, Toph and General Iroh, but Aang just watched from where he had been relaxed on a mat on the floor, then left the room quietly. Katara followed him, concerned.

"Aang, are you alright?" she asked. Aang stood looking out across the city. It was near dusk, and the sky was a beautiful amber. They could hear many celebrations going on.

He didn't speak for a long time.

"Aang?" Katara tried again.

At last, Aang turned to her. "It's all over," he said. "It's finally over. And now we don't have to run anymore. I don't have to run anymore."

Katara started to respond, but Aang stopped her. "No, wait," he said. "There's something I need to say."

She thought of the last time they had been alone together and looked down. She had thought that after the war was over, her confused feelings about Aang would clear. Maybe she even thought they would turn into something romantic. But so far, when she thought about Aang's romantic advances toward her, she only felt guilt and sadness. "No, Katara," he said, taking her hands, "that's what I need to tell you."

"What Aang?" she said, looking into his sincere, trusting eyes.

"After I ran away, you were the first person to find me. You were the first person to free me and the first person to believe in me. The whole time, you never left. Even when you had better opportunities" – Aang's eyes shifted back to the tea shop – "even when things were hard."

"Of course Aang," she said. "I would never leave you."

"I know," he said. "And I would never leave you. You're also really pretty," he rushed on quickly, his face flushing red, "so it would be stupid for any guy not to like you."

Katara's heart twisted inside her. "Oh Aang…" she began.

"Katara," he said, squeezing her hand and looking her straight in the eye. "The thing is, I've started to think you're more like a sister to me. I know we kissed, in the Lover's Cave and before the invasion on the Day of Black Sun, and I tried to kiss you after the play. A lot has happened, though, and to defeat Fire Lord Ozai I had to understand myself completely and let go. I do love you, and I know you love me, but…"

"But not that way," Katara said softly.

Aang nodded. "Not that way."

A weight lifted from Katara's shoulders. She pulled Aang to her for a tight hug, which he reciprocated. "I would do anything for you Aang, you know that, right?"

"I know, Katara," Aang said. "That's what family is for."

"Hey, what's going on out here?" Sokka said, coming to find them with Suki close behind.

"Group hug!" Toph said, barreling past Sokka. She flung herself around Aang and Katara.

Suki and Sokka joined in, and Katara felt herself squeezed from all sides.

"Where's Zuko?" Aang said from somewhere in the middle.

"I know, I know," Zuko said, approaching and stretching his arms around them. "Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs."

"Um, I'll pass," they heard Mai say from somewhere nearby.

Katara felt Aang hug her tighter in the middle. "I know it sounds cliché, but I really wouldn't have this any other way," he said.

"Me either, Aang," she said.


	2. Chapter 1 - Invitation

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

**_Five Years Later_**

"Fire Lord Zuko, sir, when you have a moment…"

"What is it?"

"A letter sir."

Zuko scowled. "I'm up to my neck in paperwork as it is." He was sitting at his desk in his private office, trying to review dozens of requests and complaints from various regions of the Fire Nation – and these were just the ones that had been screened and deemed important enough for personal review by the Fire Lord. Though honestly, Zuko thought, as he looked down at a request for additional toilets at the capital opera house, whoever did his screening needed more training on the meaning of "important."

"Sir?"

Zuko sighed. "What does it say?"

"It has the Avatar's seal, sir," the assistant said. "I…er…we thought you should open it…"

Zuko leaned back in his chair. Over the last few years, Aang had devoted himself to restoring and rebuilding the air temples, and when he wasn't doing that he toured the world, visiting places that were in need of the Avatar's assistance. Aang always made it back for the Fire Festivals in the spring, but sometimes that was the only time Zuko saw the kid all year.

"Thank you," Zuko said to the assistant. "I'll take the letter."

The assistant bowed and left Zuko alone with Aang's letter. Zuko broke the seal.

_Hiya Your Fire Lordliness, _(Zuko rolled his eyes.)

_It has come to the attention of your friends and family that you have failed to take a vacation in over two years. As General Iroh often says: "A man needs his rest." This is especially true when that man is the leader of an entire nation. I know how important it is to you to fulfill your duties as the Fire Lord, so you can consider this an Avatar-intervention. I am hereby calling a Peace Summit to be held in two weeks time. Our most important leaders and masters have been invited. That means __you__, Zuko. There's something I want to do and I'm going to need your support to make it happen._

_No excuses! But just in case you thought you might get sick at the last minute: the Northern Water Tribe has graciously agreed to host. You DO know what that means, don't you?_

_See you in two weeks, buddy. Better start packing._

_Aang_

Zuko set the scroll down and mulled it over. He looked over all the paperwork on his desk and groaned. Maybe Aang was right – a vacation did sound nice. Though Zuko wasn't sure why Aang thought hosting the event at the North Pole would be incentive for him to show up. Couldn't they have gotten together on Ember Island or maybe that new Convention Center out in the Si Wong Desert? Zuko had heard good things about that place. There wasn't anything he wanted to see at the North Pole. Katara had been doing some waterbending training thing with the female waterbenders of the Northern Water Tribe, and every time Zuko wrote to her he made mention of the fact that waterbending works just as well on a sunny beach as it does in the freezing arctic. He thought of the time he'd nearly frozen to death at the North Pole trying to capture the Avatar. Yeah, Zuko thought. Katara was probably the only thing in the whole North Pole worth going to the summit for.

Wait…what had Aang said in his letter? Zuko quickly scanned it again. Was Aang implying…?

The assistant knocked on the door and peaked in. "Is everything okay, sir?" he asked.

Zuko read the letter a third time. Aang probably just meant this would be an opportunity for everyone to get back together again. Maybe he needed that. To see…everyone.

"Prepare my ship," Zuko said, making the decision on the spot. "Tell them to pack for the cold. We're heading to the North Pole."

* * *

"Nina, that's a great water stream – try extending your arms a little more – good. Po Yun – impressive shield! You can also try freezing it and attaching it to your arm, like this, see?"

Katara moved from student to student, correcting a form here, giving encouragement there. She loved working with her class, and she found that a little positive reinforcement went a long way with these motivated benders.

A tall figure with a square jaw and thick brown hair came up behind her. "How's it going?" he asked, giving Katara a quick squeeze around the shoulders. Katara blushed and a few of the women in her class glanced up and smiled knowingly.

"Hi Keiro," she said. "We were just wrapping up our lesson."

"Perfect," he said. "Then I'm just in time."

Katara smiled. "Just give me a minute," she said. She turned back to the warriors. "Ladies! Great job today! Enjoy your afternoon – we'll have another lesson tomorrow morning." She bowed to her students to dismiss them and they bowed back, singing out "thank you Sifu Katara" as a chorus. That part kind of still got her a little.

"You're an amazing teacher, Katara," Keiro said, laying the complement on thick. "They're so lucky to have you."

"Well, I do my best with them," she replied, packing up. "They've really come far in the last year."

Keiro watched while she finished gathering her things. "They couldn't have done it without you." She tied up her satchel and he snatched it away from her, lifting it easily over his shoulder. "So, Sifu Katara, how do noodles sound?"

Katara felt her stomach rumble. Waterbending really took a lot of energy. "Like lunch," she said.

"Ming's Noodles it is then!" Keiro said enthusiastically. They walked back into the settlement together.

Katara liked Keiro's easy spirit. She had met him in the fall, when she first came to the North Pole to work with the women and teach them to waterbend. He was a waterbender too, and he was pretty good. Sometimes they sparred. She let him win every now and then – it was the only way he ever _could_ win – but he made comments that made her think he knew what she was doing.

She liked his family. His father had died in the attacks on the Northern Water Tribe back during the war, but his mother was still around and he had two younger brothers. His mother was sweet. She invited Katara to dinner sometimes. His brothers were rambunctious, so Katara was getting a lot of practice healing small wounds. But despite the fact that she had gotten to know Keiro pretty well over the last several months, Katara wasn't sure she was ever going to feel more than friendship with him. There was a spark missing between her and Keiro. He had kissed her a few times, but it never felt quite right. Still, he hung around and as long as there was a chance that whatever this was would grow into something else, she didn't mind.

"You must be thrilled to have your friends coming into town in a few weeks," Keiro said, slurping up broth from his bowl at Ming's.

Katara twisted her noodles with her chopsticks. "I am. They're coming from everywhere. The Kyoshi Warriors will be here first, and I'll introduce you to the leader, Suki."

"Your brother's girl?"

"Yep," Katara said. "Sokka will be in soon after, so maybe you can meet him then. He's coming with Toph."

"The earthbender?"

Katara sipped on her broth and nodded. "That's the one. Aang wrote me a few days ago to say he's going to try to come in early." She hesitated, thinking of the one friend she hadn't yet mentioned, but then she plowed on. "Zuko will be the last to show. He's always late."

"Wow. Do you really still think the Fire Lord will show up?" Keiro's eyes bugged out and there were noodles hanging from his mouth. He always got a little starstruck when Katara mentioned Zuko, and it was one of the reasons she avoided talking about Zuko with Keiro. The other reasons were harder for her to explain, even to herself.

"He does have an entire nation to run," Katara said. "But I think Zuko will make time for this. We haven't seen each other in so long."

"You do realize you're on a first-name basis with the Fire Lord, right?"

"Well, he's on a first-name basis with me," she responded, slightly annoyed. "So is the Avatar. And so are you."

"Yes I am," Keiro said. He was handsome when he smiled, and he had deep blue cobalt eyes that shined when he looked at her.

_Maybe there could be something there_, Katara thought.

Keiro swallowed down another huge scoop of noodles sloppily, leaving one noodle hanging down his chin. She resisted the urge to say something about it and wondered how Keiro would get along with her friends. She imagined him slurping up noodles in front of Zuko.

Keiro plucked the stray noodle from his chin and ate it. _Maybe not_, she thought. He smiled and patted her hand affectionately. She hoped they wouldn't serve noodles at any of the Peace Summit banquets.

* * *

Zuko knocked at the door of the Jasmine Dragon Due, a branch of his uncle's Ba Sing Se based tea shop located in Capital City in the Fire Nation. Zuko knew his Uncle was in town, and he was overdue for a visit.

"Nephew! What a pleasant surprise!" Uncle Iroh said, standing up from his pai sho game to greet Zuko with a warm hug.

Zuko hugged back. "Uncle, it's good to see you." His uncle had aged slightly over the last few years, but was still in excellent health. Zuko was incredibly grateful for Uncle's devotion to such things as longevity-promoting tea and meditation techniques. There were very few people Zuko could turn to for true love and support, and Uncle Iroh was at the top of the short list.

"Please, nephew, come in and have tea with me. How does green tea sound to you?" He uncle ushered him in and started bustling around the shop.

"Great, Uncle Iroh," Zuko said. "Thank you." He sat down at a table and stared at a sign that read "MAKE TEA, NOT WAR" while he waited for his uncle to bring out the tea. The Jasmine Dragon had gained much notoriety over the last several years, and Zuko was very proud of his uncle. It was wonderful to see how happy the tea shops made him.

"So Zuko, tell me what is on your mind," Uncle Iroh said, sitting down with his nephew.

"Actually, Uncle, I'm here with an invitation."

"An invitation!" Uncle Iroh exclaimed. "I hope it is to a royal ball. I'm quite the dancer, you know." He chuckled. "Remember how I taught you to dance?"

"Yes, Uncle," Zuko said flatly, thinking back to a particularly embarrassing afternoon. "How could I forget?"

Uncle Iroh laughed again. "Certainly the soldiers I made dance with you will never forget! But a royal prince must be a man of many talents, eh? To what am I invited?"

"We're both invited actually, along with a contingency of our best benders," Zuko explained. "Aang is holding a peace summit, to be hosted by the Northern Water Tribe, and I would be honored for you to attend with me."

"Ahhh…then you will be able to catch up with all of your friends! I am sure they will be excited to see you." Uncle's eyes twinkled. "Especially Lady Katara. Is she still single?"

"Uncle!" Zuko yelped quietly, blushing hard and looking around to make sure no one nearby was listening too close. "She's just a good friend."

"A very pretty good friend, nephew. Of marrying age."

Zuko shook his head. "I would never jeopardize my friendship with Katara by bringing…er…romance into the equation. How can you even suggest that?"

"Unless you are willing to take a risk, you will never reap the reward," Uncle advised. He held his tea in both hands, sipping it like he was hiding a smile behind the cup.

"Katara isn't a reward!" Zuko cried.

"Of course not," Uncle said, raising his eyebrows mischievously. "I only meant to say you should have more faith in your friendship with Katara. It was strong enough for you each to risk your life to save the other. Surely it is strong enough for a shared bowl of noodles and a nice evening stroll."

"You don't understand," Zuko said, frustrated. "Anyway, I'm not going to the North Pole for a date. I'm going for the peace summit."

Uncle laughed merrily.

"So will you come with me?" Zuko asked, swallowing down the irritation his uncle was inspiring in him.

"No, Lord Zuko, I will stay here, and attend to my tea shops. I am getting too old for trips around the world, and the North Pole is too cold for me."

"Are you sure?" Zuko pressed. "The ship's galley is stocked with your favorite dumplings, and plenty of tea."

"It is your turn for diplomacy now," Uncle replied. Then he paused and added happily: "And dating is often more pleasant when you have the ship to yourself, don't you think?"

"Uncle!" Zuko said, his cheeks on fire.

Uncle Iroh grinned. "Oh Zuko. You're going to have to marry someday. The Fire Nation needs an heir to the throne. You won't live forever." He eyed Zuko like he was trying to decide how far he could push his cause, then he leaned back and chuckled. "Well, how about a nice game of pai sho now?"

Zuko groaned but capitulated. Anything to get Uncle off the subject of his need for a wife. The rest of their time together that afternoon was blissfully free of the subject of Zuko's marital problems (or lack thereof), but later Zuko decided to walk back to the palace on his own. He couldn't help thinking about what his uncle had said.

Zuko's last girlfriend, Mai, had broken up with him. She claimed she was bored with their relationship, and he didn't doubt that, given the amount of time he spent behind his desk. Being the Fire Lord was surprisingly tedious. He had to get up at dawn just to make time to train and keep up his physical strength and bending. By the end of the day, he was often exhausted, and he had very little time for anything other than work. Mai said she needed more than just shared dinners and brief conversations, and he was sad when she left.

He'd heard again from Mai about a year back. She was married to a merchant who traveled all over the world, and it sounded like she was never bored now. He had thought hearing from her would be depressing, but instead he was truly happy for Mai. He didn't miss her anymore. He hadn't in a long time. At the same time, he had started to feel lonely. He walked the halls of the Fire Palace alone many nights. It would have been nice to walk with someone. Of course, he'd thought of trying to date – and Uncle had sent many a girl his way – but no one was special enough for him to try for a second date.

Zuko sighed. Uncle was right about one thing: Katara was a very pretty girl. But he just couldn't bring himself to think about her that way. It wasn't that he wouldn't have wanted to date her or that she wasn't special enough. It was the opposite. He would never have asked her to date him. Katara wrote to him every few months, and he always wrote back. He shared an easy relationship with her. It was hard won, but next to Uncle there wasn't anyone he would have trusted more.

Which was exactly why she was out of the dating pool. Zuko was looking forward to seeing Katara, as well as Aang, Toph and even Sokka. But he wasn't going to the North Pole to find a wife, and that was that.


	3. Chapter 2 - Reunion

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

The first thing Zuko thought when he stepped off his ship and onto the icy docks at the North Pole was that this would be a terrible place live. Sure, it was beautiful. The architecture was intricate. The sweep of the waterbenders controlling the port was stunning. Even the icy tundra had something magical about it. But it was cold. So incredibly cold. Zuko was adorned in heavy Fire Nation robes and armor, yet he shivered under all those layers. He rubbed his hands together and focused on his breath of fire. He wondered again how anyone could call one of the poles home.

Aang was waiting at the dock. He had gained at least a few inches in height since Zuko had seen him last, but was no less skinny and had a smile no less wide.

"Fire Lord Zuko, it is an honor to have you at the First International Peace Summit," Aang greeted him, bowing formally.

Zuko bowed back, pleased to see his friend was doing well. "Avatar Aang, it is an honor to be here."

Aang grinned. "I am also looking forward to sparring with you." He whipped a rush of fire at Zuko's feet, and Zuko jumped to miss it.

"Oh, you're not going to get away with that," Zuko said, playing along. "Aren't I your old master?" He summoned a ball of fire and held it in his palm like a snowball, but their brief sparring was interrupted.

"Zuko! Took you long enough!" Sokka ran over and pulled Zuko into a manly bro-hug. He was with Suki, who was adorned in her Kyoshi Warrior paint, but was being dragged along in the snow by the hand. Sometimes Zuko wondered why Suki bothered with Sokka. Or at least he felt sorry for her. Although, Zuko really had grown to like Sokka. He was loyal, strategic, brave and honorable. For the last few years, Sokka had been at a prestigious military academy headed by Master Piandao in the Fire Nation. Of all his old friends, Zuko saw Sokka the most. More and more frequently, Zuko found himself asking Sokka for advice when he encountered regional conflicts. Sokka's plans, though unconventional, never let him down.

"We're so glad you're here, Zuko," Suki said kindly to Zuko, hugging him lightly.

"No kidding," Sokka said. "I just got here yesterday, and man, did I miss this! All us bros, here, together, again, as bros! Now you, me and Aang can sit around the fire, itching ourselves and telling stories about the good ol' days, back when we were young and in our prime…"

"Sokka," Suki said, "You're in your prime now." She punched him in the gut to illustrate. "See? No baby fat there."

Sokka puffed out his chest. "Didn't think you'd noticed."

Suki crossed her arms. "So last night I was talking to myself, then?"

Aang leaned over to Zuko, pointed his fingers into his throat and made a sign like he was gagging.

Zuko nodded, but the innuendo didn't truly bother him. He wondered if Sokka was getting pressure like he was to marry. In a sense, Sokka was in the same position as Zuko. The Southern Water Tribe was small, but the tribe was rebuilding and Hakoda would have to pass on leadership to Sokka sometime. The tribe would want Sokka to have heirs. Maybe the pressure was even worse for Sokka since he and Suki had been in a committed relationship for a while already now. "So Sokka," he said, wanting to distract himself from thoughts like this. "How's training going?"

"Just graduated last month," Sokka said proudly. "You're looking at an official swordmaster."

"How do you think you'd do against dual dao swords now?" Zuko taunted, thinking of pulling out the swords he always carried with him.

"Well enough to know I should take pity on you rather than challenging you," Sokka bragged, patting the sword holstered at his own hip.

Zuko covered a snort. "Right, Sokka." When Azula was your sister, you had to learn to be deadly just to survive childhood.

"He has gotten pretty good," Suki said. "He even made himself a new sword. It's impressive."

"See?!" Sokka said. "Suki thinks I have an impressive sword."

Zuko raised his eyebrow while Suki smacked her palm against her forehead. "I'm sure she does, Sokka," Zuko said. Maybe it was a good thing that Chief Hakoda was still relatively young and healthy. "So where's Toph? And Katara?" He heard the hint of warmth he put into her name himself and hoped no one else made anything of it.

"Right here, Sparky," Toph said, walking up from behind with Katara by her side.

Toph had certainly grown up over the last few years. She was taller than Katara now and her hair was cut short like a pixie spirit, but Zuko's eyes went almost immediately to Katara. When had he last seen her? Had it been two years ago? The time felt long and Zuko knew in his mind that Katara had changed during those years, but the changes in her appearance were subtle – things that made her look less like a young girl and somehow accentuated her strength and poise.

Anyway, he'd always known Katara was attractive. The memory of her staring down at him after their fight with Azula was forever cemented in his mind. He knew exactly how her face lit up when she was happy, and he was glad when it lit up now at seeing him again for the first time in so long.

Unlike Toph, who punched him in the shoulder in greeting, Katara went straight for the full-on, body-to-body hug. Zuko savored the feel of her arms around his neck and let himself hold her at the waist for as long as he dared before she pulled back and looked straight into his eyes, her blue eyes shinning and her hands still resting lightly on his shoulders.

"Zuko," she said. "You should visit me more often. There are lovely guest houses here."

He smiled back and couldn't resist sweeping her back in for a tight second hug. "I think my summer home could beat yours any day of the week, Katara," he said into her ear as she laughed. "Maybe you should visit _me_ more often."

Aang beamed at them from nearby. "We should _all_ visit each other more often. And we're all here now. I can't believe it. This is so great!"

"Yeah," Zuko said, thinking that being here with all of them was like setting a huge boulder down from his shoulders. "It _is_ great."

* * *

Katara sat on the edge of the bunk Suki was sharing with her fellow Kyoshi Warrior, Ty Lee. She watched Suki retouch her warrior paint in front of the mirror. She really liked Suki and missed her when they were apart. It never ceased to amaze Katara that her dorky brother had managed to find such a fierce girl. Plus, Suki was adorable even when she was fighting. Katara looked forward to Sokka and Suki getting married one day. It would be nice to be able to call Suki her sister.

"It's good to see you Katara," Ty Lee said. The former circus girl was stretching out on a mat on the floor. "It's been so long."

"It has been a while," Katara said, thinking back to their last reunion, when she had visited the warriors on Kyoshi Island. "Actually, it was my visit to see you guys that inspired me to work with the women waterbenders up here. I modeled the group after the Kyoshi Warriors."

Suki looked back at her from the mirror. "You're a perfect leader, Katara. The women waterbenders here are amazing."

"Although we need to work on your costumes," Ty Lee commented. "Time for makeovers!"

The girls laughed comfortably together.

Suki finished her makeup and turned in her seat to face the others. "So Katara," she said. "How are things going with you up here?"

"I'm great!" Katara said optimistically, leaning back on the bunk. "The waterbender warrior women are doing so well, and my healing is really improving. Healer Yugoda wants me to organize a special meditation group at the Spirit Pool. She thinks we might be able to learn more about healing there from..."

Ty Lee interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know your _bending_ is going well." She smirked. "Everyone knows that. But what about boys? Are you seeing anyone? That Keiro guy we saw you with earlier was really cute. His arms were huge!"

Katara blushed. Keiro had barely been able to contain himself at the thought of meeting all her friends, and he had hung around all day, even shadowing her at her bending lessons, which the Kyoshi Warriors had observed today as well. The only person he hadn't met yet was Zuko, and Katara wasn't ready yet to try to understand why she hadn't even _attempted_ to find Keiro when Toph had come to get her and said Zuko's ship had docked.

"Yeah Katara," Suki teased. "He seemed really into you. Is he your boyfriend?"

"No!" Katara said. "I mean, not yet anyway. We've been on a few dates, but that's all."

Ty Lee rolled over onto her stomach and put her hands under her chin, flitting her legs in the air. "Have you kissed him? Is he any good?"

Suki grinned and moved to plunk herself down on the bed next to Katara. She threw her arms around Katara's shoulders. "Come on. Tell us _everything_, Katara," she said, mimicking Ty Lee's playful, pleading tone. "We won't tell anyone anything you say."

Katara spluttered in response. It was confusing. Keiro was by no means the first guy she'd ever kissed, but it felt wrong to talk about kissing him. She wondered why? Maybe because kissing him was so…vanilla? After all, there really wasn't a lot worth saying.

The thought frustrated her. "This is so unfair!" she grumped. "Ty Lee – I don't ask you about the guys you're with!" She turned on Suki. "And I certainly don't ask _you_ to tell me how Sokka kisses!"

"Oooh…are you asking now?" Ty Lee asked, sitting up and getting serious. "I've kissed so many people this year. Do you want to know about my best? I really think kisses are like glasses of wine. Every kiss has its own unique qualities. I keep a running list of my top five."

"And Sokka _is_ your brother," Suki said mischievously, "but if you really want to know, he's like a polar leopard in…"

Katara did not want to know. "STOP!" she commanded quickly, holding out her hand. "I changed my mind. I don't want to talk about anyone's top anything or what any guy is like that way, especially not my brother."

Ty Lee crawled forward on the mat toward Katara and looked up at her with wide eyes. "Why?" she asked. "Haven't you ever been with someone? You're so smart and beautiful. I'm sure a lot of men want to be with you. Is it you? Are you afraid of kissing?"

"No!" Katara exclaimed. "I've kissed before! I've kissed plenty!"

"But you haven't actually, you know…" Suki made an inappropriate gesture and Katara didn't just blush; she turned crimson Fire Nation red. Suki and Ty Lee cracked up while Katara's insides burned painfully.

"Well, I bet Keiro is pretty good," Suki commented when, to Katara's relief, she had stopped laughing enough to breathe again. "Ty Lee's right. He's got those strong arms and he'd barely feel it if Toph kicked a boulder at his abs."

"Pshaw," Ty Lee scoffed. "It's not all about big and bulky. I mean, look at Zuko-"

"I'd rather not," Katara muttered. Suki raised her eyebrows like she begged to disagree.

"He's not bulky at all," Ty Lee continued. "More like toned and graceful. But Mai used to say he was very passionate. She said when they kissed, it was like having a spark of light go through her, and in a good way, not an Azula way. This one time, she had to completely replace the linens because they were all scorched."

Suki snuck a sly look at Katara. "That sounds amazing." She elbowed her mortified waterbender friend, whose jaw hung slightly open. "Don't you think so, Katara? I bet you wouldn't have that problem with Keiro, no matter how big his biceps were."

Katara snapped her jaw shut, scowled and crossed her arms. "We shouldn't be talking about Zuko like this," she said. "He's our friend. It's…it's…" She struggled for the right word. "Not dignified."

"I've known Zuko since we were kids," Ty Lee said.

"Then don't you think he'd be offended?" Katara asked.

"Maybe," Ty Lee said thoughtfully. "But it's all truth anyway."

"Relax, Katara," Suki said. "It's not like we're daring you to make out with Zuko so you can compare and find out."

Ty Lee's face lit up. "Well Suki, Zuko _is_ single."

Katara glanced back and forth between Suki and Ty Lee. She could see wheels turning dangerously in their heads. She stood up abruptly and brushed off her dress. "It's time to get to dinner," she said, cutting off the rest of the conversation and hoping she (and they) would forget about it immediately.

Suki smiled. "You're right." She paused for a beat. "You always sit by Zuko at these things, don't you, Katara? Maybe tonight you can ask him how he kisses."

Ty Lee's eyes lit up. "Maybe tonight she can ask for a demonstration!"

Katara glared and blushed again. Girl talk, she thought, was stupid. Suki and Ty Lee laughed at her expense the whole way from their room to the banquet hall.

* * *

Zuko had been at the North Pole for no more than a few hours and he felt chilled to the bone already.

"You'll room with me and Aang while we're here for the next couple days," Sokka said, walking Zuko back to the ice palace with Aang. "The room is already set up for us."

"Uh, are you sure you don't want some privacy?" Zuko asked. "You and Suki…"

Sokka waved his hand. "We're together all the time," he explained. "Master Piandao gave us a lot of time for leave when I was at school. Suki and I don't need alone time. What I need is bro time."

"Well, if you want privacy-" Zuko started.

"Then we can always make up some kind of code," Aang finished. "At the air temples, we tie a scarf to the door when we want space."

"And you would know this because…?" Sokka asked with suspicion. Zuko also eyed Aang curiously.

"Because being the Avatar doesn't hurt with the ladies," Aang said casually, but adding a jaunty little strut to his walk while he said it.

Sokka and Zuko exchanged surprised smirks.

"Hey, it's not like I'm going to detail my entire private life in letters!" Aang said, defending himself. "I'm not exactly twelve anymore."

Sokka snorted, but Zuko took pity on the Avatar. "So what is this project you're working on, Aang?" he asked. He didn't want to hear more about the Avatar's conquests with women. He was the Fire Lord. Not a gossipy teenager. (Not that he _never_ enjoyed gossip. He was his uncle's nephew, after all.)

"Oh, we can talk about that later," Aang said, winking conspiratorially at Sokka. "For now, there's something much more important we have to talk about."

"There is?" Zuko asked. They had reached the room they would be sharing at the ice palace and Zuko was mildly distracted by the fact that the furniture appeared to be constructed out of ice. _Ice._ Only a waterbender would think that was a good idea.

"Yes," Sokka said seriously, perching on a chair (a cold, _icy_ chair that Zuko had no intention of ever setting his butt on) and winking back at Aang. The thought crossed his mind that neither Sokka nor Aang were ever going to grow up.

Zuko stood stiffly, trying not to touch anything. "What is it?"

Aang and Sokka looked at each other again and then looked at him. There was a moment of awkward silence. What? Were they afraid?

"Spit it out, guys," Zuko said, thinking this was definitely going to involve a request for money. "What do you need?"

"It's Katara," Aang said finally. Zuko raised his eyebrow.

"We're tired of her being alone," Sokka said. If Zuko had possessed a second functioning eyebrow, he would have raised that one too. Instead, he just felt his body tighten.

"We want her to date someone who's a really good match for her," Aang added.

"Someone on her level," Sokka said, emphasizing the words as if he were spelling something out for Zuko.

Zuko was just confused. He turned to Aang. "So you have some kind of plot to get Katara to go out with you?" He was miffed at the possibility that this whole peace summit thing was just a cover for Aang needing help with a girl. Especially if that girl was Katara. Zuko tried to push down the irrational rage rising inside him over the thought of Katara with Aang. "I thought you just said the Avatar didn't have girl problems!"

Aang swished his hand in the air. "Puh-lease. I had a crush on Katara when I was a kid." He gave Zuko a well-practiced look of innocence. "It was just a childhood thing. I don't want to date _Katara._ That would be like dating my sister."

"Right," Sokka said. "This is about finding someone _else_ for Katara. Someone who can meet our high standards."

"Okay…" Zuko said slowly, still feeling miffed. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sokka asked. "Buddy? Friend? Brother-from-another-mother?"

Zuko was annoyed. "Um, no," he said. "It is not obvious what you and Aang want me to do about Katara's love life!"

Aang and Sokka looked at each other as if Zuko had entirely missed the point. Aang shook his head. "Well it will be when you meet the guy she's dating right now."

"Yeah," Sokka said crankily. "I met him yesterday, and let's just say we can think of better choices."

* * *

Katara, Suki and Ty Lee walked into the banquet hall together that evening. It was decorated with insignia from all four nations, and there were ice sculptures on the tables shaped to represent the important symbols of each nation. Aang was sitting at a table with a sculpture of himself riding an air ball. It was a pretty good rendition – showing Aang grinning while he rode the air ball around in a circle. Ty Lee saw the other Kyoshi Warriors nearby and ran over to join them.

"Suki! Katara! Over here!" Sokka yelled, standing up so they couldn't miss him. Although Katara wondered how she and Suki could possibly have missed him. All of their friends were at the same table, and it was smack in the middle of the hall. The girls headed over to the table, and Sokka pulled Suki down next to him. He whispered something to her, and Suki nodded and winked back. Aang waved to Katara, distracting her from whatever secrets were going on between her brother and his girlfriend.

"Sit by us, Katara," Aang said. He was sitting between Zuko and Toph, but he pointed to an empty seat next to Zuko. Katara avoided eye contact with Zuko as she reluctantly sat down next to him. Honestly, she had _not_ needed to know anything about how the Fire Lord kissed. Although now that she did, she thought she could feel heat radiating toward her from Zuko's direction. Which was probably normal, she reasoned, given that he was a firebender. It crossed her mind that she probably radiated coolness as a waterbender herself. Which hopefully didn't mean that guys just found her icy and unforgiving. Oh spirits, why was her mind even going down that path?

Zuko, thankfully, didn't seem to catch on to her discomfort.

"Wow, it's been way too long since we were all together," Toph said, waving a skewer of seal tuna in her hand as she talked.

"It really has," Katara agreed. "Of course, Aang and I still see each other a lot. But Toph, I haven't seen you for months."

"That's because she's been too busy organizing mixed bending tournaments," Sokka said from across the table. "She reels them in, signs them up and then – krack-a-pow! Earthbends them into total defeat!" He made a chopping motion with his hands to show them what "krack-a-pow" might look like.

"And then I take their money," Toph said, leaning back with her hands and her meat skewer behind her head and her elbows in the air.

"So you spend your time cheating other benders into fighting you?" Katara asked, horrified.

"Yep," Toph said happily.

Katara put head in her hands and groaned.

"But it's not just a scam," Aang said. "Everyone knows who Toph is. People just like the thrill of challenging her."

"And she gives all the money away," Zuko added, speaking for the first time since Katara had sat next to him.

"How do you know?" she asked, turning to actually look at Zuko. She sensed tension in his posture, which was as straight as ever. She chided herself for noticing now.

Zuko grimaced. "Because a lot of that money goes to citizens who are rebuilding towns that my nation destroyed. I spend a ton of time trying to identify former Fire Nation colonies that need help. Toph's one of my best international partners."

"So you can get off your high horse, Sweet Stuff," Toph said. "The Blind Bandit does all for good."

"Oh," Katara said. "Well I guess that's really good then," she glanced at Zuko again and his normally pale face looked slightly red. "Of both of you."

The conversation lulled just in time for Keiro to approach the table. Katara's stomach flipped.

"Hey! There's my favorite waterbender!" Keiro said, putting his arms around Katara from behind. "I've been looking for you!"

For just a second Katara had the strange feeling that Keiro was trying to claim her in front of her friends. Sokka frowned at him and she thought she heard Aang groan.

"Keiro," Katara said, unable to hold any enthusiasm in her voice. "You're here." She looked around the table. There weren't any extra seats, and she felt oddly relieved. "Do you, er, know everyone?"

"No, but I'll get to know them," Keiro said joyfully. "Why don't I pull up a chair?" He grabbed a chair from a nearby table and wedged it between her and Zuko, who moved over to make room for Keiro.

"Yeah, just pull up a chair," Sokka said flatly. "Not like anyone's going to mind here." Suki covered her mouth like she was trying not to giggle. Keiro struck up a conversation with Zuko and Katara tried not to be bothered about…well…she wasn't sure what she had to be bothered about. Of course it was nice that her old friends were getting along with her potential new boyfriend (is that what Keiro was?), and Zuko was the model of polite etiquette, especially given the way Keiro was acting: like knowing Fire Lord Zuko via Katara would somehow raise his own status.

But when Keiro said: "That's why it's been so wonderful getting to know Katara" (she had no idea what they'd been talking about – she had been too busy trying not to crumble up inside) and tried to cover her hand with his, Katara pulled away and pretended like she hadn't realized what he was doing. Sokka's frown deepened. _Ugh_, she thought. Why couldn't everything be as easy as teaching someone how to waterbend?

Dinner was served, and when everyone was finished, Aang got up to speak. This, at least, made Katara happy. Aang had really grown up, and in more ways than one. Of course, he was much taller than her now, still skinny but muscular too, and his face was longer, though he always had laughter lines at his eyes. It was more than that too. Aang was a world leader now. He was known for being humble, wise and easy to talk to. He received requests from all over the world for aid, and he always did whatever he could to help. Katara had accompanied him on many of his peace missions, and she was incredibly proud. Her eyes teared a little while she watched him. No matter how old Aang got, part of her would always see him as her twelve-year-old friend.

Keiro crossed his arms next to her.

"Thank you so much for being here today, everyone," Aang said, beginning his speech. "I've gathered you here to talk about several important things." He started to discuss his objectives – projects to aid people who had been refugees before the war, projects to rebuild cities. He had gained great support from many leaders, and he thanked a lot of individuals, including Zuko and Toph.

"But what I want to unveil today is a new project. I call it the Alchemy Benders Project. I'll be recruiting benders from around the world who can come together and use their bending to find new ways to build and improve our societies. We are comfortable using our elements separately, but as the Avatar, master of all four elements, I can assure you that we are stronger together than we could possibly be on our own. I will start with a small band of elite bending masters, and we will spend the next few weeks gathering volunteers who are interested in joining the project permanently. To help you understand, I want to provide a demonstration. Sifu Katara - would you mind creating a stream of water for us?"

Katara stood up. "Of course Aang," she said. She breathed in deep, raised her hands and summoned water from a nearby fountain. Soon it was circling elegantly above their heads in a large figure eight.

"Thank you, Katara. Now if you could hold that for a moment-" Aang nodded to Zuko, who had apparently been in on this from before the speech. Zuko stood up and raised one arm dramatically into the air. Katara looked at him and his eyes glinted at her, like he knew he was being a little over-the-top. She had the feeling for the first time since she'd hugged him earlier in the day that her good friend Zuko was here with her, and now they were having fun together. A knot she hadn't even known was there unfurled in her stomach.

"Ladies and gentleman," Aang said. "I give you…" He paused and Zuko sent a burst of fire into the air. The fire wrapped around Katara's water form until it was flowing in the same figure eight. They both let the elements run side-by-side like that for a few moments. Then Zuko flicked his wrist casually and the fire merged into the water, creating a burst of steam above them. "Steam power!" Aang continued triumphantly. The crowd applauded enthusiastically and Aang nodded to Katara and Zuko, who both sat down again.

"This easy demonstration shows just one way we can combine the elements. If I have your support, I'd like you each to start thinking of benders who would be willing to work on this project. In exchange, your people will benefit from what we learn."

Aang finished his speech and returned to the table to continued applause. He beamed at Katara and Zuko both. "Thanks for playing along guys. I can always count on you!" he said pleasantly. Keiro yawned and glared at Aang.

"That was amazing!" Sokka said, pumping his fist in the air. "Score one for Team Avatar and liquidy hot offense!"

"That was nothing but a parlor trick," Zuko said, shrugging off the attention. "You should have seen Katara the day of the comet. _That_ was liquidy offense."

"Well water beats fire any day of the weak," Keiro said. Katara glanced swiftly at him. His face was screwed up into an ugly expression. "And Katara's the most incredible waterbender I've ever seen."

It didn't feel like a complement. Katara was almost offended. "Actually," she said, "I wouldn't have had to do anything if Zuko hadn't stepped in front of Azula to save my life. If I hadn't been there, he would have defeated her completely on his own."

"I don't know if I agree with that," Zuko said quietly.

Katara opened her mouth but Aang spoke up again before she could. "That's the whole point," he said, letting Keiro's comment slip. "Water and fire are polar opposites, but by working together you stopped Azula and saved each other's lives. It's proof that opposite elements are better together than apart."

"I'm just glad you made Zuko do the demonstration with Katara and not me!" Toph said. "Mudfight!" Everyone laughed and the tension drifted away.

"So I take it the elite group of benders you want to start the project with is sitting at this table?" Sokka asked Aang.

"Um, yeah," Aang said hopefully, shifting his eyes away from everyone and rubbing his neck awkwardly with his hand. "I'll only need you for a few weeks, to get started. But I was thinking it would be like old times. Zuko, Katara, Toph and I can work on figuring out how to combine the elements. Sokka, you and Suki can help us think about creative ways to use bending based on other warrior techniques."

"Aang, you know I'm in," Sokka said. "You don't even need to ask."

Suko grabbed Sokka's hand. "Me too. I can leave the Kyoshi Warriors with Ty Lee for a while."

"I _suppose_ I can reschedule the bender tournaments that were coming up," Toph said, "but only for you Twinkletoes."

"So, Zuko?" Aang asked.

"Uncle has been suggesting I take a vacation," Zuko replied, scratching his chin.

"Katara?"

Katara nodded. "Of course, Aang."

"Fantastic!" Aang said, popping up in his seat as if he were propelled by an exuberant burst of air. "This is going to be amazing! Everyone back together again. Riding on Appa, camping out, seeing new places, meeting new people."

"Three cheers for Team Avatar!" Sokka exclaimed, and everyone toasted to that except Keiro, who got up to leave like he suddenly had to go to the bathroom.

"Poor guy," Aang said, watching him go. "Probably some kind of stomach bug."

"Yeah, it's too bad," Sokka said sarcastically.

But Katara was too happy to be back with her friends to be worried. Keiro would get over it. And if he didn't? Well, it's not like he was her boyfriend.


	4. Chapter 3 - Summit

**Author's Notes:**

People are reading the story! Happy face :)

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Zuko learned that despite the cold, the North Pole was heading into summer. As a result, the sun only set for a few hours before it reappeared again. It was nearly impossible for him to sleep. "The sun is awake, so I'm awake, so I have to train!" (Er…wrong story.) He headed back to his ship early the next morning to get in some time practicing his forms.

His crew, mostly made of ranking officers and excellent benders, as well as a few diplomats and their families, had stayed on the ship. He regretted not having chosen that option himself. The room Aang and Sokka were still slumbering in was covered in frost. His ship was toasty warm, despite being docked in the icy seas. He found several members of the crew up already when he reached the ship. When they saw him approach, they lined up quickly in ranks and stood at attention.

"All hail Lord Zuko!" the highest ranking officer on deck – a captain – called.

"All hail Lord Zuko!" the others echoed.

"At ease, crew," Zuko said, dismissing them. "Anyone seen Yin?"

"In the board room," the captain told him. "Enjoying his morning tea, I believe."

"I'll join him," Zuko said. "Captain, please accompany me there."

"Yes sir," the captain replied.

Zuko didn't have what he thought of as "friends" among the soldiers and advisers who worked with him. Somehow, no matter how welcoming he tried to be, even his most loyal advisers seemed incapable of turning off their professional selves when they were with him. He had confided this to Aang about a year after he ascended to the throne, and Aang suggested that for most people, it was intimidating to become friends with anyone who carried a title like "Fire Lord."

"But you're the Avatar and you have no problem making friends," Zuko had countered.

"Zuko," Aang said. "Don't you remember? I'm known for being an 'incurable prankster'. A lot of people still see me as just a kid. Believe me. Your reputation is a little different."

"What's THAT supposed to mean!?" Zuko had yelled, and a nearby tree went up in flames.

Aang doused the tree in water, putting out the fire. "Well your Lordliness," he laughed. "It would help if you didn't randomly set stuff on fire."

"I'm a firebender!" Zuko said. He lowered his voice: "And it doesn't happen _that_ often."

"You think?" Aang said sarcastically.

Zuko decided he needed to learn more self-control and he started visiting Azula for advice. She was kept in the equivalent of a royal house prison. Zuko employed thirty-two highly skilled firebenders to guard the locked entrances at all times, plus three professional qi-blockers who qi-blocked Azula forcibly every two hours. Inside, though, the house was lush, and Azula had everything she could possibly want at her beck-and-call, including a staff of servants who catered to her every whim. Azula had recently taken up painting. Her art was abstract, and she said it stemmed from her deep disappointment with life.

When Zuko expressed an interest in learning to lightning bend during a visit, Azula laughed. "Zuzu," she drawled. "Lightning requires far more control than _you_ could ever possess." But Zuko was intent on gaining absolute control over his bending, and with Uncle's direct guidance and Azula's indirect, cutting tips, he eventually mastered it.

Unfortunately, the ability to bend lightning didn't fix his problem with becoming more approachable. "Well," Aang said apologetically when Zuko asked him about it a few years later, "what did you expect?"

Zuko fumed (but not literally). "I never set anything on fire accidentally anymore!"

"Sure," Aang said. "But if you snap your fingers you can purposely incinerate a whole house, and being able to take down an entire line of men with a bolt of electricity is kind of terrifying."

"But I'm good now!" Zuko said.

"Good, yes," Aang said. "Scary? Also yes."

So instead of having friends at home, Zuko had what he thought of as "close advisers." Yin was one of them. A crack bender and a strong leader, Yin had proven himself to have excellent judgment and team building skills. Although Yin was only about ten years older than Zuko, Uncle liked him very much. "His pai sho game is great, and he has excellent taste in tea," was Uncle's verdict. Yin wasn't exactly a friend, but he was Zuko's right hand man.

Zuko found Yin sipping tea and reading correspondence in the board room on the ship. Upon Zuko's entrance, Yin rose and bowed. "Fire Lord Zuko," he said.

"Good morning Yin," Zuko said, taking a sit at the table. "At ease."

Yin relaxed.

"Do you have a report for me this morning?" Zuko asked.

"Yes sir," Yin said. "Would you care for a cup of tea first?"

"Please," Zuko said, allowing Yin to pour him a cup of jasmine tea.

"Very good sir," Yin replied, once they both had steaming cups of fragrant tea. "Shall we start with news from the capital?"

Things were in good order. The capital was enjoying fair weather, and several construction permits had been approved by the historical committee as well as the city regulators. A drought in the east was affecting the crops, but a surplus in the north was expected to more than make up for that. A black market ring of suspicious cabbage sellers had been intercepted and were awaiting trial. The dragon breeders had reported the birth of two baby dragons. Tax season had gone well, and now that the Fire Nation had removed most of its troops from the rest of the nations, the homeland was enjoying a period of wealth.

"And how is the re-employment program going for the returning soldiers?" Zuko asked.

"Very well sir," Yin said. "The last report indicated that the Bai Sho River Project has been extremely successful, as have many of our efforts to deploy soldiers for other homeland work."

Zuko smiled, satisfied. He tried not to spend time congratulating himself – it was important to remain humble as a man in his position – but Uncle often sent him encouraging letters, telling him that so and so had stopped by the tea shop and remarked on the unprecedented period of peace and prosperity the Fire Nation was enjoying under Zuko's reign. There was still a lot of rebuilding left to do, but if it were at all in his power (and as Fire Lord, it was), Zuko would go out decades from now leaving his nation far better than he had found it.

"So what do you think of the Avatar's project?" Zuko asked. Yin had attended the banquet the night before and had heard the Avatar ask for Zuko's participation.

Yin nodded his head. "It appears to be a worthy project, sir." He blushed. "The demonstration was quite impressive, and it was a privilege to watch you and Master Katara bending. I'd only heard rumors of how stunning she was before."

Zuko let a hiss of frustration out. "Please don't tell me Uncle suggested…"

"My apologies, your highness. It's simply that your battle with Princess Azula is legendary, and I'd always wondered what Master Katara would be like."

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "And?"

"Well sir," Yin said, somewhat flustered. "As I said, she was rather stunning." Zuko had no idea why he found that so satisfying.

"And do you think it would be wise for me to join the Avatar during the inaugural three weeks of his project?" Zuko asked.

"The Fire Lord is expected to spend a certain amount of time completing diplomatic missions," Yin said. "I believe accompanying the Avatar would only increase your popularity in the homeland."

Zuko nodded.

Yin looked nervous. "Sir," he said cautiously. "Would you allow me to be so bold as to offer some unsolicited advice?"

"Of course, Yin. What is it?"

"Well," Yin hesitated. "The Fire Nation would also be rather pleased to see you find a suitable match."

Zuko scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?!" He suddenly caught a whiff of burning wood and removed his hands quickly from the heavy board table.

"Tea sir?" Yin said, hiding a smile. Zuko growled and left the room.

* * *

Katara sat at a great circular table next to Sokka and their father, Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe took his seat next to Chief Hakoda, greeting Katara and Sokka warmly. Chief Arnook had no heirs, and it had recently occurred to Katara that Sokka was being primed to take over as Chief of a unified Water Tribe one day. She wasn't sure if Sokka realized it himself.

Katara was invited as the highest ranking waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, but, since she was the only waterbender above the age of five in the Southern Water Tribe, she sometimes wondered if her invitation to these kinds of things was only a token gesture. Or maybe Aang pulled some strings. Toph never joined. Just then Master Pakku came into the room. Katara stood up and bowed to him.

"Master Pakku," she acknowledged.

"Master Katara," he said, bowing back. "It is an honor to see you here again."

"Thank you," she said. "How is Gran Gran?"

"She misses you, but she asked me to tell you how proud she is of you. They refer to you as Princess Katara in the south, you know. You're a legend. No one even cares about me!"

This made Katara smile. Of course, she and Sokka had been raised as little more than peasants in the huts of the Southern Water Tribe. But perhaps her invitation wasn't a token after all. She looked over: was Sokka waving to Suki from across the table? Embarrassing. He had just seen her at breakfast! Oh well. Neither Chief Hakoda nor Chief Arnook were especially old. Sokka still had time shape up and become a more dignified leader.

Speaking of dignified leaders: Zuko entered the room, the last of the leaders to arrive. He obviously hadn't been raised as a peasant. He walked in like he owned the whole place, flanked by his advisers and two lines of Fire Nation soldiers. He stopped just past the entrance to the room, held his head up, clasped his hands behind his back and waited patiently for the Fire Nation contingency to be acknowledged. The soldiers stood perfectly still around him, their eyes scanning the room as if they were constantly looking for threats, conveying obvious loyalty to their Lord. The room went quiet and it struck Katara that Zuko commanded power like he had been born to do it. Which he had been. Still, the Earth King hadn't received attention like this. He had just sauntered into the room with his bear and taken his seat.

It was a nice opportunity for Katara to assess her good friend without anyone noticing, since everyone else was watching Zuko too. She knew in her mind that Zuko had changed since she'd seen him last. He certainly looked more royal. His black hair had grown out and it was swept away from his face in a customary topknot that allowed most of his hair to flow down without blocking his vision. He had grown into the attire of the Fire Lord, and his armor suited him just right, accentuating his strength and his right to rule. There were other subtle things too, that took away the last bits of boyish uncertainty. Confidence and honor looked good on Zuko. But for Katara, the memory of Zuko flinging himself in front of her to save her life when he was only sixteen never faded. She knew how much he'd struggled and how often he'd been hurt, and when his eyes caught hers and his lips turned just the slightest bit up at the corners, Katara saw the same face she had always known.

"Fire Lord Zuko," Aang said, "Please join us." He ushered Zuko and his advisers to their seats. The soldiers stood behind obediently. It was amazing how the reputation of the Fire Nation had changed over the last five years. The Fire Nation wasn't feared as much, and Zuko was widely regarded as an honorable, cooperative leader, although the public eye still perceived the Fire Lord as a frightening persona.

The group began marching through a long agenda of concerns. Katara found it surprising how many problems could exist in a time of peace. The meeting dragged on and on, and they didn't reach the final agenda item until well into the afternoon.

"Finally, one of the most important things we can do as a group is ensure that the citizens of our nations feel safe regardless of where they travel and where they live," Aang said. "The Fire Nation has volunteered to send soldiers to areas in particular need of additional support."

One of the Earth King's advisers laughed. "How is that different from sending Fire Nation soldiers to colonize our lands? The people will be terrified."

Aang looked at Zuko and Zuko nodded, as though they had discussed this before. "I understand," Zuko replied. "It is critical that any support be viewed as completely peaceful. If necessary, I will restrict the soldiers the Fire Nation sends to non-benders only and require them to wear neutral-colored uniforms."

The Earth Kingdom advisers grumbled. Aang and Zuko looked worried at each other. "Why don't all of the nations recruit soldiers who would be willing to join a group of peacekeepers?" Katara spoke up. "We shouldn't have to rely entirely on the Fire Nation."

Aang looked approvingly at Katara. Chief Hakoda and Chief Arnook shared a quick side conversation, while the Earth King's advisers whispered to him.

"The Water Tribes will contribute peacekeepers," Chief Hakoda said presently.

"The Earth Kingdom will as well," the Earth King added. "But who will train and oversee them? Not the Fire Lord."

"No," Zuko agreed. "A group of peacekeepers cannot be led by any one nation's ruler."

"We'll appoint a counsel," Aang said.

"And perhaps the Avatar himself should oversee the group once it's formed," Zuko said. "The peacekeepers can train at the same location as the benders who are brought there to engage in the Alchemy Project."

"Brilliant, Lord Zuko," Aang said. "I would be happy to do that."

The group voted on a resolution to create a multi-national group of peacekeepers, trained by the Avatar along with the Alchemy Project Benders. Then, finally, the meeting was adjourned, and Zuko shook Aang's hand, as though diplomatically congratulating him on the successful work. They started to talk, and Katara got up to leave, but Aang saw her and gestured for her and Sokka to stay.

"Wait," he said. "There's one more thing. Do you guys mind sticking around for a few more minutes?"

* * *

Zuko dismissed his advisers and soldiers and waited curiously in the meeting room, while Aang delayed so that Sokka could take a "bio break" and Toph could join them. Aang took the seat next to him, while Suki got up to sit by Katara. Zuko caught Katara's eye and she held his gaze, making him wonder what she was thinking about. She had been mostly quiet during the day's meetings, and he would have liked to have known her thoughts on a lot of the issues the group had discussed. He wasn't sure why she hadn't spoken up more.

"Okay!" Sokka said, coming back in with Toph and shutting the doors behind them. "We're all here. Hit us Aang, what's up with the secret meeting? Team Avatar is here to serve!" Zuko rolled his eyes and groaned audibly, a luxury he realized he only had here because of how comfortable he was with this small group.

"Thanks Sokka," Aang said seriously, and it occurred to Zuko for the first time that Aang, who had been hosting this event with a great deal of energy, looked tired.

"Aang, is everything okay?" Katara said with concern. She had obviously just noticed it too.

Aang looked grimly at all of them. "There is something I need you all to know that I can't let anyone else in on," he said. "And I couldn't tell you last night because I was afraid someone would overhear."

Eyebrows knit together across the room while everyone waited. Aang sighed. "The thing is," he continued, "I didn't call you all here to the North Pole because I want you to help me work on the Alchemy Benders Project." Aang gestured to Toph, Katara and Zuko. "It's not that you aren't all great benders, but I know you're busy. I could easily have found other benders to work with on figuring out how to combine the elements, and I'm sure we'll have no trouble recruiting benders who are interested over the next few weeks. The Alchemy Project is sort of a public cover on what I really need your help for."

"So if the Alchemy Project is just a cover, what's going on?" Sokka asked, all evidence of humor gone from his face.

Aang sighed and looked troubled. "Actually Sokka," he said, "I don't exactly know. I only know there's something out-of-whack in the balance of nature. I started noticing a few months ago. There are some places where I can't bend as easily as I can in others, and I've been noticing that when I meditate in the spirit world, there are places there too where spirits just aren't going anymore. I think something is happening."

"Maybe you just aren't as practiced anymore," Toph said. "You need more opportunities to use your bending." She bent a chunk of rock at the Avatar.

"No," Aang said, holding his wrist up and batting away the rock like he was shooing away a bug. "I have plenty of opportunities, and I train in all four elements every day. It's something else, and I'm worried that the areas where bending is fading are spreading."

"Then we have to figure out what's going on," Katara said.

"I know," Aang said. "That's why I need all of you. You're the strongest benders I know and the smartest advisers I have. If anyone can help me figure out what's going on, it's you guys."

Zuko frowned. It bothered him that Aang hadn't told him anything about this problem before now. Was this something the kid had sprung on everyone? He looked around. Even Katara looked surprised. Why hadn't Aang confided in Katara? "So you have a plan?" he asked. "How will we know when we're in a place where bending is affected?"

"I think you'll know," Aang said. "I can usually feel it. And I do have a plan. I want to go to the places where I felt the problems first, then we can start looking for a pattern. It will look to everyone else like we're working on the Alchemy Project. But actually, we'll be trying to figure out what's going on with the bending problems."

"Well you have the right team," Sokka said. "If anyone can do this, it's us."

"Water, Earth, Fire, Air, Sword and Fan?" Toph asked sarcastically.

"Exactly," Sokka said. "Team Avatar is back in action."

"I hoped you would say that," Aang said. "The peace summit closes tomorrow morning, and I don't want to waste any time. We should leave as soon as possible."

* * *

The moon was full that night, and Katara could see it rising in the sky as the sun set for a brief summer nap. She had decided to take a walk to clear her head. She was concerned by what Aang had told them. She couldn't imagine not being able to bend. The moon's strength energized her, and she wondered if Yue was watching her from above. Did she sense that something was wrong? Why hadn't Aang told her about the problem before? She had just seen him a few weeks ago.

"Katara!" Keiro's voice called down to her. She turned around but couldn't see him. "I was just looking for you."

"Really?" Katara asked. Keiro bounded down to her from the top of a nearby set of stairs.

"Yes. It's a perfect night for a stroll under the moon, isn't it?" Keiro said. Katara nodded in agreement and they began to walk together. She hadn't been thinking of Keiro much, and she was still a little irritated with him, but she found herself telling him about the earlier meeting anyway, detailing the peacekeeping group in particular.

"You'd be perfect for it," Katara said. "You should think of joining."

"And leaving the North Pole?" Keiro said. "But I want to be here when you come back."

Katara frowned. "I don't think you should wait for me," she said, reluctant to put any pressure on her relationship with Keiro. "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone."

Keiro looked upset. "Why?" he asked. "What, do you anticipate some kind of extra trip?" He scowled. "What went on this afternoon after everyone else left that meeting?"

"You saw that?" Katara asked. She hadn't realized Keiro had been anywhere nearby. She had barely thought of him all day.

"Everyone knows," Keiro said. "The Avatar's super-secret meetings with his favorites are always food for the gossip chains. So, what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on," Katara answered defensively, not sure she should share anything Aang had told them and resenting the tone of Keiro's voice.

"I knew it!" Keiro exclaimed. "I knew there was something going on with you and that pompous jerk!"

Katara spun around so that she was blocking Keiro's path. Even in the moonlight, Keiro looked angry, and she was taken aback by it.

"What are you talking about, Keiro?" Katara said, trying to keep her cool despite the fiery heat rising inside her. "Are you saying there's something going on between me and Zuko?"

"Between you and Fire Lord Scary-Scar?" Keiro looked terrified. "No! I mean, it was awesome to meet him and all, but he looks like he could twitch and burn an entire village to the ground. You would never be with a guy like that."

"That's not how he is," Katara muttered.

"Whatever. I know there isn't anything between you and the Fire Lord, Katara," Keiro said. He stopped and stared her down with a heavily scrutinizing look. "But be honest with me: what's going on with you and the Avatar? Have you been seeing him too? You go on those trips with him sometimes, and now you don't want me to wait for you? Something has to be going on."

"With Aang?" Katara said, stunned. "What would make you think there's something going on with me and Aang?"

"Seriously?" Keiro asked. "I've seen you with him! That guy can't keep his hands off you!"

"Whoa, you are way out of line," Katara said, tensing up and backing away.

"I am?" Keiro asked. "Because you're the one with all the secrets. You're with him, aren't you?"

"Keiro," Katara said, her eyes narrowing and her temper flaring beyond control. "I think you better stop now."

Keiro shook his head. "You're lying, and I can't trust you, Katara. I didn't expect you to lie. I don't think I can ever trust you after this."

"I don't think you're going to have to worry about that after tonight," Katara said frostily. Her whole body hummed with anger and Keiro looked confused as tentacles of ice came up around him, freezing him where he stood. He struggled against the ice, but her bending was clearly stronger than his.

"I'm not with Aang," she said.

He huffed like he didn't believe her.

The nerve of this guy! Katara felt almost disgusted with herself while she watched Keiro flail and sputter. His hair was hanging in his face and he had a furious look in his eyes. She had _kissed_ him.

"You better let me out now," he said dangerously. "If you know what's good for you. Or so help me, when I get out of here…"

Katara's heart hardened and she squeezed the ice around Keiro's shoulders. "If _you _know what's good for you, you'll stop talking now."

"I'm the stronger bender, and you know it," he spat.

She looked disdainfully at him.

"Keiro?" She iced his hair into ugly spikes. "You only ever won because I let you."

With that, Katara turned and left. She didn't care if he was stuck there in the cold. The sun would be up in a few hours. He'd survive.


	5. Chapter 4 - Appa

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing. I love borrowing.

* * *

Katara watched out from the side of the saddle as Appa rose into the air and the palaces of the Northern Water Tribe shrunk down until they were little diamonds of ice glinting back at them. It was a beautiful day for a flight, and the sun warmed away the chill in the air as they left the North Pole. She breathed and felt somehow more whole than she had felt for months at the North Pole.

"Ahh…this is more like it," Sokka said, kicking his feet out into the middle of Appa's saddle. "Wind in our hair, freedom to fly…"

"Ewe, Sokka, get your feet out of my face!" Toph said. "Personal space problems much?"

"My feet aren't anywhere near your personal space!" Sokka said.

"Well, their smell is," Toph complained. "And speaking of personal space, what's been up with that guy Keiro, Katara? I feel like we've barely been able to talk to you. He was all over you all the time."

Katara crossed her arms and scowled, angry that she couldn't even get away from Keiro by flying away from the North Pole. "He was not," she said defensively.

"Yeah, he kind of was," Aang said from his position at the reins. "And every time he looked at me all week he glared at me like a dolphin piranha."

"So he's possessive _and_ jealous," Toph said. "You can do better, Katara. He's not that impressive."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Katara yelled, and Appa echoed her cry with an air-bisony yowl of his own. She glared down, wishing she could make this conversation disappear. She was still pretty sore from her goodbye with Keiro the night before – something she hadn't told any of them about. "We were just friends," she muttered.

Everyone else laughed. "Look," Sokka said. "I get it, sis. I'm a touchy-feely guy who's connected with his emotions." He touched his fingers to his heart. "But a guy who's just a girl's friend doesn't come up and put his arms around her like that."

"What are you talking about?" Katara said, thinking of some of the things Keiro had said. "Aang puts his arm around my shoulders all the time!"

"That's different," Aang said. "I'm like your brother. We've known each other forever. Anyway, it's not the fact that he put his arm around you. It's the _way_ he did it." Aang got an evil glint in his eyes and Katara's stomach churned nervously. "You're great friends with Zuko, right? But it's not like he's sitting there with his arm around you."

"Exactly," Sokka said, looking pointedly at Zuko.

Katara purposely looked away. She was in the process of thanking all her lucky spirits that Zuko was above teasing her, when to her horror Zuko snickered, scooted close and dropped his arm around her. "So," he said, mimicking the husky way Keiro's voice fell deep into his chest when he talked, "How's my favorite waterbender?"

For three seconds, Katara sat stiffly with Zuko's arm heavy around her, feeling her entire body heat up like she'd just stepped into a furnace. Then she threw him off violently. The Fire Lord rocked away onto his side in a manner totally undignified for the leader of an entire nation, and he laughed heartily with the rest of the group. Suki sent Katara a look of sympathy but couldn't hide her smile, and then all Katara could think about was her conversation with Ty Lee and Suki again, and she resolved to avoid sitting by Zuko for the rest of the trip. Although how she was going to manage that for three weeks was beyond her.

"See Sugar Queen?" Toph said when the laughter died down. "Keiro's a weirdo. It's unanimous. You can't see him again."

Katara stuck her nose in the air and pretended not to care, but when she accidentally looked at Zuko again, he shrugged apologetically and the genuine warmth in his eyes made her want to lighten up. "Aang, tell us more about where we're going," Katara asked, thinking that a change in subject could do them some good. "The Northern Air Temple?"

"Not yet," Aang said. "Our first stop is a little island just off the coast. It's one of the places where I've noticed trouble bending."

"What sort of trouble did you notice, Twinkletoes?" Toph asked.

"It's hard to explain," Aang said. "It's kind of like my bending gets spotty. One minute I'm completely fine and the next minute my bending is completely gone."

Katara tried again to think about what it would feel like for her bending to disappear, even temporarily. Zuko frowned heavily and Toph picked her toes uncomfortably. For a bender, the ability to move your own element was so inherent that the idea of it going away was almost painful.

"Do you remember how when I joined your group, I had trouble bending for a while?" Zuko asked pensively. Katara thought back. She had completely forgotten that incident, and now she recalled being nasty to Zuko over the whole thing. She cringed at the memory.

"We had to hunt down the Sun Warriors to help you find a new way to bend," Aang said.

"Yeah…" Zuko said, still frowning. "I had to learn how to fuel my bending with something other than rage and anger. It wasn't as much a change in the physical act of bending as it was a new source of power. Do you think something changed about where you draw power from?"

Aang's eyebrows knit together and he turned back to look out over Appa's head. "I don't see how that's possible," he said. "I never drew power from anything negative."

"Maybe you're _going_ bad!" Sokka said, lifting his finger in the air like that was a brilliant idea. "Like, you're becoming the Dark Avatar!"

"Sokka," Katara said, crossing her arms and glaring. "Aang is not going _bad_."

"Are you sure?" Sokka asked, continuing with his ridiculous idea. "Aang, have you been feeling bad lately?"

Aang shrugged. "How should I know?"

"You're right!" Sokka exclaimed. He turned on Zuko. "Zuko! What would Aang feel like if he was going bad?"

Zuko growled and Sokka's shirtsleeves began to turn black and curl up at the edges. Sokka patted them down frantically. "Okay, okay!" he said. "I get it. You're not bad anymore. Yeesh, I was just doing research."

"Stupid research," Aang commented. "Anyway, I don't think this is really about me. I think there's some kind of natural disturbance. I bet you guys will feel it too when we're on the island."

"Hey, I see land down there!" Sokka said, looking enthusiastically over the edge of the saddle. "Is that it?"

"Sokka, we've only been up here for 10 minutes," Suki said.

"Sorry Sokka," Aang said. "We're at least a few more hours away by air bison."

"Awh…" Sokka whined. "But I need another bio break!" Katara smirked. At least she wasn't going to be only one feeling uncomfortable for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

They landed in a clearing on a small island four hours later. There was a village in a valley below, and Aang said this was where one of the bending disturbances had occurred. Sokka ran off into the woods immediately after they landed. The rest of the group started unpacking the Avatar's air bison.

Zuko could have kicked himself. It was like some evil spirit (maybe Momo? – he had never trusted that lemur) had possessed him to tease Katara while they were up in the air. It was totally unlike him. If he was honest with himself, for the briefest moment, having his arm around Katara's shoulders had been the most natural thing in the world. He never wanted to hurt her feelings, though, and from the way she was still mostly avoiding eye contact with him now, he knew he needed to formally apologize.

"Hey, how about Katara and I head into the village to see who's around?" Zuko suggested, inspired to get her alone for a few minutes.

"Great idea, Zuko!" Aang said enthusiastically.

"Yeah!" Sokka said, returning to camp. He winked obviously at Zuko, taking the pack of supplies Zuko had just lifted from the air bison out of his hands. "Be out as long as you want! We don't need you here at all! We're all okay without you!"

"Um…don't you need help setting up camp?" Katara asked.

Aang, Sokka, Suki and Toph all looked at each other, then a chorus of "nopes" and "we're good" and "have fun, kids!" rang out. Katara gave an exasperated sigh and stomped away. Zuko narrowed his eyes at everyone else and made an extremely rude, absolutely-unbefitting-for-a-royal hand gesture. He added a harmless but dramatic flash of fire for effect. "What was that?" he hissed. "Thanks to you losers, I'm on Katara's bad side now!"

"Just go!" Sokka whispered loudly and winked again. "We've got this covered!"

Zuko shook his head. "Um, right. But if I don't make it back alive, this is on you!" He pointed at his eye. "And you might want to get that checked out."

Katara had already gone ahead and seemed intent on getting to the village as fast as possible, probably to decrease the "alone time" she was going to have to spend with him. Zuko hurried. There was a path from the clearing where they had landed that ran down from the valley to the village, and Katara was making impressive time.

"So," Zuko said, catching up. He cursed himself for being so _not_ glib, but tried not to dwell on it.

"So," Katara said mildly, not bothering to look back at him. They walked in silence, Zuko with his head down and Katara with her head stubbornly up. If Zuko could have paid someone to rewind what he had done on Appa, he would have. Instead, he tried for the apology again.

"Hey," he started, "if you're mad at me for before…"

"I'm not," Katara said shortly.

"Uh, okay," Zuko said. "But even if you aren't…"

"I'm not," she said again, her voice kinder this time. Still, she did not go on.

They walked in silence once more, and Zuko found himself thinking that Katara was pretty much the only person on the planet who made him feel this way. Usually, he was Zuko the Fire Lord. When he went for walks, women fainted, men sucked in their guts and puffed out their chests, and sometimes little kids cried. With Katara he was always just a guy, trying to figure out how to act around a girl who confused him. A girl who had overpowered him on more than one occasion and in more than one way.

"Well either way, I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have violated your space like that, and I won't do it again."

Katara's shoulders sagged. "No, Zuko, it wasn't that big of a deal. I just feel stupid about Keiro, that's all."

"Why?" Zuko said, gaining enough speed to walk next to her instead of behind her. "I thought he wasn't your boyfriend."

"He wasn't," she said quickly. "But we had gone on a few dates, and we had…I mean…I guess…I kind of let him think maybe there was a chance he could be my boyfriend. I had no idea he'd be such a jerk."

"He wasn't a jerk to me," Zuko said. "I mean, I'm not going to say I found him all that interesting, but he wasn't a jerk."

"When he said waterbending beats firebending at the banquet?" Katara reminded him.

"Oh," Zuko said. "Yeah, I guess that was stupid. Not that firebending beats waterbending either," he said, trying not to dig himself a bigger hole.

Katara squished her eyebrows together and shook her head. "It was just a jerkbending move on his part generally." She sighed. "Anyway, I told him before we left that I didn't want him to wait around for me while we were gone, and he kind of exploded. Toph's right. He was so jealous, and I hadn't even realized."

Zuko swallowed and decided to tread carefully with this line of conversation. "Jealous?" he repeated, patting himself on the back mentally for asking what she meant in as neutral a way as possible.

"I know!" Katara said. "He told me he always knew I was in love with the Avatar. He accused me of…_doing things_ with Aang when we were on trips. He said he didn't think he could ever _trust_ me again!"

Zuko felt fire forming at his fingertips. Some part of him wanted to turn around right now and take that idiot down. He was tempted to ask Katara if she'd like him to "destroy Keiro for all time," but he could hear Uncle's voice in his head: "Zuko, an impressive young lady like Katara does not want you to fight her battles for her." So Zuko took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. "That's silly," he said. "He obviously doesn't know anything about you. Just because you're Aang's most loyal friend, doesn't mean you're in love with him."

"Exactly," Katara said. She was walking heavily, emphasizing her mood with stomps of her feet. "There's nothing wrong with being supportive of a friend! Aang and I were inseparable for years! I love him just as much as I love Sokka, and just _like_ I love Sokka. We're family, and that's all it is! Me, Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki…" She hesitated an instant too long. "You."

Zuko cringed. He considered them close like family too, but he knew it was probably still hard, even after all these years, for the Gaang to accept him as a full member of their group. "It's okay, Katara," he said, hoping his voice wouldn't betray the devastation he felt knowing he might always be on the outside. "I understand. History and all."

"Agh! Zuko, no, that's not what I meant," Katara said, grabbing his arm protectively and seeking his eyes with her own again. "Honestly, it isn't. You're one of my best friends too. You get things about me that no one does. I owe you my life for agni's sake! I'd fight by your side any day, anytime, anywhere." She paused and looked away before continuing on quietly: "But it _is_ different with you."

Zuko's heart lifted rapidly and before he could stop himself he took a chance: "Because I can't put my arm around you without it looking like something else?"

"Yeah," Katara said softly, sneaking a glance at him again. "Something like that. But this is nice," she indicated his arm, which she was now holding while they walked. "I mean, it's okay, isn't it?"

"Very platonic," Zuko confirmed, trying to keep whatever he was feeling now – he really wasn't sure what that emotion was – out of his voice. "Very 'just friends.'"

"Very," she agreed, apparently satisfied. "And by the way," she said slyly. "You don't have to go all _Fire Lord_ on Keiro if you see him again. He's already terrified of you. He told me he thought you could twitch and burn down a whole village." Katara laughed.

"He better think that," Zuko said, cheered immeasurably by her admission. "Or maybe I'll introduce him to Azula sometime."

* * *

The village was little more than a collection of mud huts. The villagers looked downtrodden and poor. As Katara and Zuko walked through it people stopped and stared at them with big open eyes. Katara tried to imagine what their arrival looked like to these people. When she and Aang went anywhere new, they always received warm welcomes from the strangers they met. People always knew who they were. Aang's blue tattoos distinguished him as the Avatar, and Katara experienced quite a bit of hero-worship herself. But as she and Zuko passed into the center of the village, mothers pulled their children inside huts and men stood warily by, staring at them.

Zuko looked around uncomfortably. "They're frightened of me," he said.

"Eh…" Katara tried to think of a nice way to acknowledge the truth. "Maybe you should consider leaving behind some of the armor next time?"

Zuko chuckled. "I did leave behind most of it," he said.

"And, uh, maybe smile a little more?"

"I smile plenty!" Zuko said frowning again.

"Right…"

The huts seemed to circle around a large fire pit. A few villagers were carrying buckets of water nearby the pit. Others were preparing food. A group of children ran by – all holding up sticks and playing some kind of game. One of the children jumped up onto a tree stump and turned on the others.

"I am the Fire Lord!" she proclaimed. "Dirty peasants, kneel before me!" She raised her sticks in the air and pointed them down. The other children dropped to the ground around her.

"We are no match for you, Fire Lord!" a boy in the front said. "You have killed me!" He pretended to fall over dead.

"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" the other children chanted.

Zuko's jaw dropped and Katara put her hand to her mouth to try to cover the strangled noise that wanted to escape from her throat. Several of the villagers by the fire pit froze nearby, noticing Zuko and Katara noticing the children's game. The children seemed to sense they were being watched, and their chanting died down.

"Lin," one of the villagers – a thin woman with brown robes and straggly hair – called to the girl on top of the tree stump. "Get down from there. Now!" She took the child's hand and the child hopped down. The woman stared frightened at Zuko as she pulled the child to her. There was fearful recognition in her eyes. "Lord Zuko," she said, dropping to her knees in a low bow. Her voice quivered. "Please, forgive the children." She pulled the child, Lin, down with her, but Lin stared up at Zuko with eyes like saucers. Several other villagers followed the older woman's suit. In an instant Zuko and Katara were surrounded by bowing, ragged villagers.

Katara felt her heart drop. Now Keiro's comments about Zuko ran through her head ominously. The woman in the brown robes was shaking. Zuko looked sad and pale. "Please," he started in a futile effort. "There's no need…"

Katara impulsively threw herself to the shaking woman. "Please stand up," she said, helping the woman to her feet. "I'm Katara of the Southern Water Tribe." She gestured to Zuko. "This is my friend, Fire Lord Zuko. We're not here to hurt you. What's your name?"

"Sarah," the woman said, still shaking. "My apologies my lady. We weren't expecting…a visit."

Lin, the child who had been playing the Fire Lord, was still staring at Zuko. "Are you the real Fire Lord?" she asked boldly.

"Lin!" Sarah scolded, but Zuko knelt down to Lin's level. Several of the villagers gasped in shock.

"Yes," he said. He took one of Lin's dirty little hands. "It is my great pleasure to meet you, Lady Lin," he said, kissing the back of her hand. The little girl turned pink. Zuko smiled at her.

"What are you here for?" Lin asked while the other children gathered closer to him.

"Are you here to…?" The child who had pretended to be killed by Fire Lord Lin said. He ran his finger along his throat in a quick slice to complete the question. Katara bit her lip to restrain her own tongue.

"No," Zuko said, keeping his voice steady and as kind as Katara had ever heard it. "We are here with the Avatar. To help."

"The Avatar?" Lin asked. "But I've heard the Avatar never kills anyone and only goes on trips for peace. Why are _you_ here with him?"

"Yeah," one of the other kids said. "Isn't the Fire Lord supposed to demand what he wants and burn through anyone who doesn't listen?"

"Uh, not this Fire Lord," Zuko said, earning small smiles from some of the older villagers. Most were standing now, encouraged by Katara, who was moving through the crowd. Zuko continued to kneel by the children, answering their questions until no one was bowing to him anymore. Katara wondered if this was something he experienced often. She suspected he had earned the eternal worship of Lin and her friends, but she wasn't sure that made up for their initial entrance.

A few of the others came forward and introduced themselves as the village leaders. Katara and Zuko were invited to one of the nearby huts, where they sat down on the floor.

"If we had known you were coming, we would have prepared something," a man who introduced himself as Jon said. "A feast. Or at least a meal."

Katara looked around the hut. There was little inside but a simple wooden table and a few plain mats. By comparison, the huts in the Southern Water Tribe were extravagant. Zuko looked even sadder.

"We aren't here to take anything from you," he said, and she knew he was thinking what she was: a feast would hardly have been possible for the people of this village.

"Then why are you here?" Sarah asked.

"What have we done to attract the attention of the Fire Nation?" another elder asked.

"Nothing!" Katara said. "This isn't about the Fire Nation at all." The villagers looked warily at Zuko. She could tell he was trying to give them his least intimidating look. Katara swallowed and tried to explain. "We're here on behalf of the Avatar," she said. "We just arrived, and he wants to meet you."

"The Avatar?" Jon said. "But why?"

"He wants to ask you about your bending," Katara said, evading. "We're only here to learn. About you. And to help with anything we can, especially with your benders."

Sarah laughed. "Then you've come to the wrong place," she said.

A few of the villagers in the hut nodded with her.

"Why?" Katara asked. "Almost everyone has something to teach and something to learn."

"Not from us," Jon said. "There haven't been any benders born here in over fifty years."

Zuko looked down, the shadow of shame onhis demeanor. "Then I owe you an apology," he said, "on behalf of my nation. We hurt far too many innocent people."

Jon shook his head. "No," he said. "Don't get us wrong. It's not that we aren't afraid of the Fire Nation, but this village was never raided."

"Then why aren't there any benders here?" Katara asked.

Sarah shrugged. "We don't know," she said. "There simply haven't been any benders born here in many many years."


	6. Chapter 5 - Sokka

**Author's Notes:**

If you're still reading - thank you! I worry about writing too slow-paced, but I can tell you that I have at least one good slow first kiss coming up. It will appear sometime later in the story. It's delicious.

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

When Katara and Zuko arrived back at the campsite, it was nearly dark. Their friends were sitting around a fire, toasting pickled sea prunes and marshmallows. Sokka was telling a story when they walked in, but he stopped mid-sentence when he noticed them. Katara didn't trust the look on her brother's face.

"Well helllooo," he said, wagging his eyebrows at them. "You two have been gone for a while. Did you have fun?"

Zuko glared at Sokka and walked away from the fire, choosing instead to fling himself down on his back near Appa.

Sokka's grin fell and Aang made a face. "Did you have a fight?" Aang asked Katara.

"No!" she said, but she sat dejectedly by the fire with Aang.

"Then what's up with him?" Sokka asked, nodding toward Zuko, who was staring up at the sky.

"We met some villagers," Katara answered. Momo looked up at her from near Aang's feet and offered her a half-cracked nut. The offer was nice, but she wasn't cheered.

"They think I'm a monster," Zuko muttered. He had been mostly silent on the way back to the campsite from the village, and the anguish in his voice now made Katara draw her knees to her chest and wrap her arms around them. "The kids play a game where they pretend to be me, slitting people's throats open. It's awesome."

"Ahh," Aang responded. He gave Katara a look that said "couldn't you do anything about that?" She shook her head. "Zuko!" Aang said, leaning out of the campfire ring to see him. "We've talked about this before! You have to drop the scary thing or you'll never be seen for who you really are."

Zuko snorted and Katara thought she could see smoke coming from his nostrils. She wondered for the first time if there was any possibility that Zuko was part dragon. It would explain the yellow eyes.

"You would think that with all the nice things Zuko does now he's the Fire Lord, people would like him a lot more," Suki commented.

"Things change slow," Toph said. "For every story about something good Zuko does, there's another ten about something bad his father did." Zuko grunted loudly and slammed a fist into the ground again, sending a spout of fire into the air. Toph scrunched up her nose. "No need to sulk over there, Lord Pouty Pants. We're your friends, remember?"

Sokka looked sympathetic. "Maybe we just need to get Zuko a better wardrobe," he suggested. "I'm thinking something a little more sensible, with less gold-plated stuff and fewer spikes."

"Why does everyone keep trying to get me out of my clothes?!" Zuko yelled.

For a moment, no one responded. Then Katara burst out laughing, joined by Toph, Suki and Aang. The giddy hysteria eased the dark mood that had settled on everyone.

"Scary or not, Fire Lord, your whole fan club wants it," Toph said, gasping for breath between laughs. "Even Sokka."

"Hey!" Sokka said, and then everyone was laughing except for Zuko, who rolled on his side away from them and pulled his robes over his head like a sulky teenager instead of the patron of the group. Katara felt an intsy bit bad, but decided this was appropriate payback for the arm-around-the-shoulder incident. Still, they had real problems, and she was legitimately worried about Aang's bending troubles, the bender-less village and now about Zuko, too. She steered the conversation back to the reason they were here to begin with:

"Aang, did you know there weren't any benders in the village?"

"Oh no," Aang said. "I was afraid of something like that." He put his head in his hands. "I came here to meditate about a month ago. I remembered the monks taking us here when I was a kid, over a hundred years ago. The island is a volcano that's been dormant for as long as anyone can remember. A hundred years ago there was no village here. It was just a valley and a colony of red-spotted flying lemurs." Aang patted Momo on the head. "You would have liked it buddy."

"Did you have any trouble bending here back then?" Toph asked.

"No," Aang said. "But when I made my more recent visit, I noticed my bending wasn't as strong in the valley."

"Do you think it has something to do with the village?" Suki asked.

Aang shook his head. "Probably not," he said. "The people living in the village are peaceful, and I think they respect the land and the spirits here. Also, this isn't the only place where it's happening."

"Well I haven't noticed any problems with my bending at all," Toph said. She stomped her foot and created a footrest for herself.

"Did you notice anything strange?" Aang asked Katara. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry Aang, I don't think my bending is any different here than it was at the North Pole."

"Zuko?" Aang asked. Zuko didn't respond, but the fire pit flared up into the sky and everyone had to lean away.

Aang hung his head. "I was afraid of that, too."

"What do you mean, Aang?" Katara asked.

"I can earthbend, firebend and waterbend here too. But my airbending…" he shrugged. "Let's just say it has this tendency to be more 'puff' than 'pow.' "

"I'm telling you Twinkletoes," Toph said, "You're just out of practice."

Aang shook his head. "I don't think so."

"When's the last time you practiced with a real master?" Toph said.

Aang considered the idea. "A pretty long time ago," he admitted.

"So now you have three masters and we're camping in a big open field."

"And?"

Toph laughed. "And that's just what we need for a mixed bending tournament! There couldn't _be_ a better way for you to get in some practice!

* * *

"Okay, everyone, here's how this is going to go down." Sokka was standing in the middle of the clearing. It was dawn the next morning, and they had packed up and pushed aside all the tents. Zuko leaned casually against a tree on one side of the clearing. He felt refreshed from the night before. Katara stretched and yawned nearby. She still looked half-asleep.

"Do we have to do this so early?" she said. "I'm exhausted."

"That's why you get Zuko as your teammate," Sokka said. "He's a morning person."

Katara scowled at Zuko so he scowled back at her. "Hey, look alive, Kat," he said. "We're already out-elemented. I can't have my teammate sleeping on the job." Zuko had turned in the night before in a bad mood, but he was considerably cheered this morning. He scared villagers all the time. He didn't often get to spend time with Katara. He was quite pleased to be up early for a fight with her by his side.

Toph and Aang stood on the other side of the clearing. Aang's glider staff was in one hand and he was using his other hand to make cocky "got my eyes on you" signs at Zuko. Toph was rubbing spit in her hands like she was ready to get down to business.

Katara twisted, stretching out her back. "So what's going on exactly?" she asked wearily. Zuko tried not to watch her. He couldn't risk making them look stupid by getting distracted, and he'd had disturbing, lusty dreams last night involving angry villagers and Katara dressed as a scantily-clad version of the Painted Lady from Fire Nation lore. Against his will, Zuko found himself tilting his head and checking her out. She was…

Sokka stomped the ground angrily. "Pay attention!" he shouted. Zuko snapped out of his trance. "Our goal today is to test Aang's airbending skills. The rules are simple. Katara and Zuko, you represent Team Steam. You know. Because water and fire equals steam."

Zuko and Katara both looked stonily back at Sokka. "Ha, ha, Sokka," Katara said, unamused. "You're really on a roll this morning."

Sokka ignored them. "Aang, Toph, you represent Team Tornado. Because air and earth together equals…"

"A lotta damage!" Toph said, punching her fists together. "You better watch out, Team Steam! We're comin' at you like a natural disaster!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. Katara yawned again.

"The clearing is the arena," Sokka continued. "And your goal is simple: to force the other team out of the arena using your bending. Aang, to make it a fair test, you can only use airbending."

"Sokka, are you sure this is safe?" Katara asked, reflecting the same concern that had just come into Zuko's mind. Aang with all four elements and Toph sounded like a pretty big challenge. He and Katara versus Toph and Aang with only airbending and earthbending sounded almost unfair. "If Aang only has airbending…"

"That's the whole point," Sokka said. "But it's perfectly safe. Suki and I will referee." He pointed to Suki, who had wisely chosen to referee from a tree branch that was so far up they could barely see when she gave Sokka a thumbs up. "We both have whistles, and if you hear either one of us whistle, that means you have to stop immediately so no one will get hurt."

"What about special skills?" Toph said. "Like metal bending?"

"Off limits," Sokka said. "Sheesh Toph, we don't want any real damage!" He turned to Zuko and Katara. "So absolutely no lightning from Team Steam," he said sternly. "And no witchy blood bending either. Oh, and no swords."

Katara threw her hands in the air, like "whatever," so Zuko shrugged and dropped his swords at the side of the field. Katara was narrowing her eyes at "Team Tornado" and it made the corners of his mouth lift up. Truly, this was unfair to Aang and Toph.

"Are there any airbending moves that are off limits?" Aang asked.

Sokka scratched his chin thoughtfully. "_Are_ there any special airbending moves? I mean, what's airier than air? Spirit?"

Toph huffed and stomped the ground like an angry bull dragon. "Too much talk, not enough action. Let's go already, ref!"

Sokka nodded solemnly. "Ready Team Tornado?"

"Born ready!" Toph yelled, crouching into an earthbender stance and cracking her knuckles.

"Come and get it, Team Steam!" Aang echoed, bending down and opening his glider.

"Ready Team Steam?"

Zuko shifted his eyes toward Katara. He pushed himself from the tree, bent his knees and opened his palms in a fighting stance. Katara did the same next to him, smiling sweetly at Aang and Toph. "How long do you think this is going to last?" Zuko asked her.

Katara licked her lips. "They're done for," she said confidently, and it was so attractive that Zuko had to force himself to keep his eyes on their opponents rather than her. "We're ready Sokka!" she yelled.

"Okay, then, let the bending tournament begin!" Sokka covered his head, shrieked and ran out of the way as Toph hurled rocks at them, propelled by a gust of air.

Zuko blasted the rocks with a gush of fire while Katara jumped high, drawing in the early morning dew, then pushed her hands out and sprayed a shower of water at "Team Tornado." It rained down over Aang and Toph.

"Watch it, Sweet Stuff!" Toph yelled. "You're not the only one who can make it rain!" She bent a shower of dirt back at them and Zuko incinerated it. A harmless layer of ash fell around him and Katara. Katara wiped the ash from her eyes, making it look like she'd applied black war paint. Also not a bad look for Katara, Zuko realized. Toph laughed. "Age before beauty!" she teased.

"Oh, you better watch it, Pixie Chick!" Katara yelled back, whipping water at Aang and Toph.

Aang swiped the water away with a grin and a burst of air. He spun back sharp slices of air, forcing Katara and Zuko to lean back in opposite directions to avoid it. A stray lock of hair that had been hanging in Katara's face floated to the ground. "Watch out, all that hair's a liability!" Aang taunted, rubbing his bald head cheekily and sending another gust of wind that swept Katara's hair up around her in a windstorm and loosened Zuko's topknot.

Now the scrawny monk had done it. "Pity to bald early!" Zuko yelled back. He pulled the pin out of his topknot and unceremoniously tossed his Fire Lord emblem to the ground, letting his hair fall free and knowing it would give him a crazed Lord of the Underworld sort of look. Katara's eyes gleamed like she liked it. She ran her hand through her hair and loosened her braids until she could shake her hair back like she was just getting loosened up herself. Zuko leaned back and breathed fire out of his mouth for show while Katara pulled in water from the clouds. She flashed him a predatory smile as the water in the sky around them sharpened into ice daggers. Zuko had to force himself to focus again. It just felt so good to act bad with Katara.

"Hey Team Crazy, you guys looking for a fight or a cage?" Toph yelled. She built up a wall of rocks around Team Tornado and Aang spun his glider until the rocks funneled around them. Katara waved her hands and the daggers of ice began to funnel around her and Zuko. Inspired, Zuko added a cylinder of fire that rose up as a second circle of elements. Steam began to rise where fire met ice.

"More!" Katara called. She raised her arms powerfully and the ice spun faster and expanded, doubling the depth of the funnel. "Force them out!" Zuko pressed up and forward, expanding the column of fire along with the water. He could sense Toph's boulder disks coming at them, but the shield he and Katara formed blocked everything. Katara's face was all joy and fury – she liked a good battle – and he was so drawn to it and the shield was so strong that he could barely see anything else around them. It was only when he heard the screaming that he realized something was wrong.

Whistles shrieked in the air. Katara dropped the ice to the ground as one great splash of water and Zuko let the fire fizzle into the air. Sokka and Suki were running onto the field. Toph had erected a wall of earth and was standing in front of it. A group of villagers had come up the hill to see what was going on, and Toph was holding them back from getting a look at something. She was having a heck of a time. The villagers were pressing around her and the girl suddenly looked her young age and like she – the toughest earthbender in the world – was nearly at risk of being crushed by them. What was going on?

Then Zuko figured it out: Aang. He was bent double on his hands and knees behind Toph's wall of earth, and the villagers who were trying to get to him were screaming and crying: "Avatar! Avatar!"

Zuko assessed the situation and took in Katara next to him. Her hair was a wet tangled mess and black ash dripped down her face. He couldn't imagine what he looked like. Not good. Katara was looking back and forth between him and the villagers, her eyes wide and scared. He realized that some of the villagers were yelling and pointing angrily in their direction. Aang had started to recover and they could see him glancing back and forth between "Team Steam" and the mob of villagers too. Toph was shouting things like: "Everything's okay! It was just a game!" but no one seemed to be listening.

Zuko kicked himself mentally. "This was the stupidest idea Sokka and Toph have ever had," he said.

"I know," Katara agreed. "I hope no one saw that dragon move you pulled."

Zuko smacked his forehead with his hand. "Maybe we should take out all of their messenger hawks before we leave," he suggested.

"Maybe we should just leave," she countered weakly. "Now."

Zuko couldn't have agreed more.

* * *

"Yip yip," Sokka commanded. Appa took off into the sky. Sokka saluted to the villagers below, who were looking very confused. "Really, it's fine!" he yelled down. "We like to play rough!" After the bending tournament had turned sour, they'd packed everything up quickly, apologized multiple times to the befuddled villagers and left immediately. Now Sokka was flying the bison and everyone else was worrying over Aang.

Katara leaned over the teenager. He seemed weak but very annoyed at the attention. She was really concerned. In some ways, she had been watching out for Aang since he was twelve. It was so natural to her that even years later, when they mostly traveled just for fun and so that Aang could help "restore balance," Katara always took on the role of caretaker. They would show up at some new place and she would immediately go about finding them a place to stay while Aang would wonder around, making friends with strangers, showing them fun airbender tricks and telling war stories. After a while, Katara started to feel like she was the world's most hero-worshiped babysitter. That was part of why she had decided to start her work with the women warriors at the North Pole. She was a powerful bender, and she didn't feel like she was doing anything with her life and her talents.

Aang had accepted the idea easily. "I knew you'd eventually need something else, Katara," he had said. "It means everything to me that you've always been there for me, but I know you. You're starting to feel like my shadow, and you're so much more than that."

"But Aang," she had responded with tears in her eyes, "if I start doing my own work and leave you on your own, who's going to take care of you?"

Aang had smiled gently. "Katara," he said, "if I ever want to get a girl to date me, I can't have you living on Appa with me all the time."

Now, with Aang lying weakly in front of her, Katara just wanted to nestle the airbender into her arms and make everything better. Aang clasped her hand. "I'm fine, Katara," he said, squeezing more firmly than she thought he would have power to do. He started to try sitting up, but Toph pushed him back down.

"You are _not_ fine, Twinkletoes," Toph said. "One minute we're hurling air-powered rocks at Katara and Zuko and the next minute you're on the ground, practically passed out. Team Tornado down. We had to lift you up onto Appa."

Zuko was kneeling in front of Aang with his arms at his sides, looking worried. He was still wet from the battle, but he'd wiped the ash from his face and his hair was knotted up again. "That was the stupidest idea ever," he said. "We are never doing that again."

Aang sighed and turned his head away from them, pouting like a child. "I'm telling you, I'm fine now," he said.

"Are you absolutely sure we didn't hurt you?" Katara said. Zuko frowned but Aang just let out an exasperated guff.

"No!" He said narrowed his eyes. "It was impressive work and all, and very nice smack talk – even you Zuko – but no. You didn't even touch me. I just lost my airbending suddenly."

Toph looked upset. "Aang, it wasn't like you just lost your airbending. It was like you got sucker-punched."

Aang nodded and sighed again. "That is kind of how it feels when it happens. Like something has pulled all the air out of me, I can't catch it, and I'm really heavy." He looked around at Toph, Katara and Zuko. "Did any of you feel it?"

Katara shook her head. "I'm sorry Aang. I felt completely fine." But Toph was holding something back. She seemed anxious. "What is it Toph?" Katara asked.

"The thing is…at first I was fine too," Toph said. "But then I did notice something strange. It was like the rocks wouldn't go as far, and I couldn't get as good a grip on the earth as normal," she confessed. "I just thought you guys were putting up a good fight."

Zuko drew back. "I felt fine," he said. "If anything…"

"You were more powerful," Suki said, interrupting. She had been sitting quietly with her knees held to her chest. "You and Katara both. You were more powerful."

Katara thought back to the fight. Had she felt more powerful than normal? She had certainly been having more fun.

"Did you feel it?" Zuko asked her point-blank. Katara blinked at him and didn't know what to say. Something about his gaze pierced through her.

"I was watching from above, remember?" Suki said. "At first, it was like all four of you were playing the same game. But you and Katara kept getting stronger and stronger. Then while you guys were doing the…um…"

"The hurricane of death," Sokka said over his shoulder from his seat on Appa's head.

"Uh, right," Suki continued. "The hurricane of death. It was right after that it started. Aang looked like he was getting tired and then…"

"Boom! Avatar down," Sokka finished, lifting his hands to illustrate "boom."

"So are you saying we were taking energy from Aang and Toph?" Katara said. Zuko looked the way she felt: incredibly guilty.

"No," Aang said. "It wasn't like that. You're both powerful benders, but you're not energybenders. When I took Fire Lord Ozai's energy, I had to bend it. It was very difficult. When you bend energy, your spirit has to be completely unbendable. I know you're both stubborn, but I've seen each of you change a lot over the years. When necessary, you both yield. Anyway, you weren't even trying to take energy from me. I don't think that's what it was."

"Do you think _I_ was taking it from you?" Toph asked, horrified. "I'm pretty stubborn."

"I know," Aang said. "You are stubborn. And unyielding. An earthbender has to be unmovable. But I don't think you were energybending or taking anything away from me either."

"If she had been, wouldn't _she_ have gotten more powerful?" Suki asked.

"Yes," Aang said. "I think that is what would have happened."

"This is so frustrating," Zuko said. "How are we supposed to deal with this if we don't even know what's happening?"

"I don't know," Aang said. "That's why I need help."

"So where to now?" Sokka asked.

"The Northern Air Temple," Aang said. "If we're going to figure this out, we can't have an audience like we did today."

"Yeah, that was bad," Sokka said. He looked at Katara and Zuko. "They're going to be telling stories about _you_ guys for years."

"Fan-fire-tastic," Zuko said angrily. "Now we're legendary."


	7. Chapter 6 - Moon

**Author's Notes:**

To me, one of the most beautiful ideas in ATLA is that friendship can survive more than one lifetime. I hope that Aang and Zuko are friends for many lives to come.

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

"I thought you said you didn't want an audience," Toph said, jumping down from Appa's saddle. "There are a lot of people here."

"This isn't an audience," Aang explained, getting ready to conveniently help the fanfiction writer. "These are old friends of ours. They've been working with me making plans for the Alchemy Project."

Zuko slid down from the bison's back and looked around. He'd never spent a lot of time at the Northern Air Temple, and though he recalled searching it for signs of the Avatar years ago, he couldn't remember personally attacking it. Still, he'd noticed scorch marks on the side of the temple while they were flying in, and that usually only meant one thing. Zuko looked warily at the crowd of people gathering to say hello to Aang. He didn't expect a warm reception from people who had been previously attacked by the Fire Nation.

A young man in a wheeled contraption zoomed up to them. "Aang!" he cried. "You're back!"

"Hi Teo!" Aang greeted the young man. "Where's your father?" Zuko was surprised. He had spent a few weeks with Teo back when he had first joined Aang's group at the Western Air Temple, but he wouldn't have recognized the kid now. His face had sharper angles, his hair was short and neat and he seemed taller, even in his wheelchair. A lot changed in five years.

A loud blast sounded behind them from somewhere inside the temple and Teo smiled sheepishly. "Probably wherever that came from," he said. Teo turned to the rest of the group. "Dad's really excited to have you all here. He's got all kinds of crazy ideas for you to try."

Teo greeted everyone individually after that, and when he turned to Zuko he bowed formally from his seated position, making Zuko feel uncomfortable. "Fire Lord Zuko," he said, "Dad is especially excited to have you here. Aang and Katara used to visit a lot after the war, and they tell the most amazing stories about things you've been up to. Is it true you've learned how to bend lightning? My father is especially interested in learning more about how that works."

Aang and Katara gave Zuko twin, satisfied looks, and Zuko wanted to throttle them both. Actually, he wanted to throttle Aang (who seemed to have recovered completely from his earlier bending trouble). Katara he wanted to do…_other_ things with, though he was still of the opinion that it was a bad idea for him to entertain such thoughts. It had been a strange few days, he realized, thinking of the way they'd worked together before Aang had collapsed. They had a natural chemistry, and he gravitated toward Katara when they were with the rest of the group. Even when he wasn't standing next to her, he looked to her in conversation, angled his body toward her and paid attention to her more than to the others.

He would never have admitted it out loud, but he was also more protective of her than anyone else. It had been like this for a long time now – at least since he had gone with Katara to find Yon Rha when they were kids – but he had always guarded against mixing the deep respect and care he had for Katara as a friend with the feelings of physical attraction he had for her as a member of the opposite sex. Since when had he allowed those lines to cross? Why today was she someone who was physically attractive because of her ability to emotionally draw him in? Maybe the day had just been particularly draining?

She tilted her head at him. "Zuko?" she asked. He had been staring. Sokka snickered somewhere beyond him. Zuko shook his head, trying to snap out of it.

"Sorry," he said, not offering an explanation for his stupor. Her eyes held questions, but she didn't ask anything. Zuko turned back to Teo. "I'll tell him everything I know about it," he offered.

"Great!" Teo said, moving on to Toph, who had been standing to Zuko's left. Katara nudged Zuko with her elbow. He looked over at her, expecting her to ask him about the staring. Instead she widened her eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly toward Toph and Teo. Zuko followed her line of sight. Toph was blushing slightly at something Teo had said, and Teo had a goofy look on his face. Zuko looked back at Katara, and the irony of her pointing out an unspoken attraction was not lost on him. He rolled his eyes at her and she rolled hers back playfully at him, and he was thinking about her _that_ way again, but what exactly was he supposed to do? Stop talking to her for the rest of the trip? Until he was a safe distance away again and could communicate via letters and second-hand communication? The thought made him blanch.

"We have rooms prepared for all of you," Teo was saying, and Zuko hoped he hadn't been staring again. "Come on. I'll show you the way."

Teo took them into the temple. Suki and Toph, who had never been to the Northern Air Temple, walked alongside Teo while he began giving a full tour. Zuko was interested in learning about the temple too, but he hung back with Katara, Aang and Sokka. A certain girl with a pixie haircut and a thick skin was laughing at Teo's jokes and not punching him, and he sensed competition for Teo's attention.

"This is where we store the gliders," Teo said, stopping them at what was apparently a highlight of the tour. "Do you guys want to try?"

Zuko flat-out refused, despite Aang's insistence that it would be fun. He wasn't afraid of heights, but jumping off a cliff on a flimsy glider wasn't the kind of thing a respectable Fire Lord did without proper provocation. Suki was excited to try. Of course, Zuko thought, he'd never seen that girl afraid of anything.

Toph, however, was reluctant.

"Earthbenders aren't meant to fly," she said stubbornly.

Teo wheeled around her in a dare-devil circle. "I'm from the Earth Kingdom," he said. "I fly."

Toph squared her stance as if there was some risk Teo could sweep her off her feet and into the air at any moment if she didn't stand firm. "I use my feet to see," Toph said. "In the air, I'm completely blind. And I don't need anyone to hear me screaming like a wild hog monkey."

Teo assessed her practically. "That's exactly the opposite of me," he said. "I can barely feel my legs, but when I'm in the air, I'm free to go anywhere. I can take you if you want," he offered.

"Oh Toph," Katara encouraged, putting her hands on Toph's shoulders. "You should try it! I did it once, and it was exhilarating."

Toph huffed and it appeared there was an inner battle going on: probably between the part of Toph that hated losing anything to Katara and the part of her that hated flying.

"Fine," Toph said, eventually. "If Sweet Cheeks can do it, I can too." Sweet Cheeks smirked triumphantly. Then she grinned at Zuko, like he had been in on her efforts to instigate. He crossed his arms but smiled back at her, ignoring the amused look Aang gave him. The group spent much of the remainder of the afternoon watching Toph lifted through the air, screaming very much like a wild hog monkey and clinging tight to Teo and the glider.

"Earth and air are opposite elements," Aang said, observing next to Zuko from the ground. "In some ways, they're even more opposed to each another than water and fire. Air and earth are always trying to get away from each other. While gravity pulls earth to the ground, air seeks escape into the sky. So an earthbender is grounded, and an airbender is hard to pin down."

"Are you saying we need to find you a really heavy girl to date?" Sokka joked.

"Sokka!" Katara admonished, but Aang chuckled.

"I don't know," he said. "But it's nice to see Toph swept up into the air for once." And it was true that Toph couldn't stop smiling.

* * *

Teo's father had done a lot of work on Aang's project. "It's a puzzle I'm happy to try to solve," the Mechanist said, leading them into his workshop later that afternoon. "Until recently, the idea of using more than one element in combination was taboo. But then, the Fire Nation withdrew its troops! Trade between the nations became the norm! Now everything is possible!" The Mechanist jumped around while he talked. It made Zuko slightly sea sick.

"I asked him to help me think of ways we could work together," Aang explained. "He's really smart."

The Mechanist bumbled around, gathering scrolls in his arms. "This guy was the one who came up with the idea for the airships?" Zuko muttered under his breath to Katara, who was standing next to him again. He wondered if he had been the one walking next to her this time, or if she had naturally found his side and why couldn't he stop thinking about these things? She laughed quietly.

"I have so many ideas!" the Mechanist said, oblivious to the sidebar. He laid the scrolls on a large table and opened one up. Sokka leaned over, excited to see.

"How does this work?" he asked, turning the scroll to view it from a different angle. "It looks like a sandbender, a firebender and a waterbender all working on a funnel of sand."

"They're melting the sand into glass, forming it into shapes and cooling it down," the Mechanist explained. "Instant glass tableware!"

"Brilliant!" Sokka enthused.

Katara leaned up closer to Zuko's ear. "Sokka has a little genius crush on the Mechanist," she whispered. Zuko stiffened. Her breath tickled his neck, and it made him want to shift his body weight toward her.

"It's more like a full-blown love affair," Suki lamented nearby. Zuko stiffened further.

Aang caught Zuko's eye and raised his eyebrows. "Zuko? You okay?" he asked.

Zuko cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah," he said. "Just thinking about the logistics of making tableware."

"Me too, Sparky," Toph said. "Sounds like a lot of work for you, me and Sugar Queen."

Katara glanced at him, scrunched up her nose and put her hands on her hips. "No," she said. "The Fire Lord didn't come all the way to the Northern Air Temple to make dishes. We'll find some artistically-minded firebenders to work on this project later. And some waterbenders too."

Zuko smirked at her use of his title. "Are you going to command them to volunteer, Lady Katara, or shall I?" he asked, looking warmly at her.

Katara's cheeks went pink and everyone else laughed. "Deputize her to do it for you," Aang said, elbowing Zuko in the side. The pink flush on Katara's face spread, making it impossible for Zuko to remove his eyes from her while she avoided his gaze.

"Maybe I should," he said lightly, wishing she would look back at him. "I could use the help."

"This one's genius!" Sokka cried, totally ignoring the conversation. He held up another scroll. "Look at this, guys! Metalbenders seal meat into metal cases, then sink them in running water. Waterbenders freeze over the cases. The meat freezes inside and stays preserved for weeks!"

"That's my guy," Suki said. "Keeping his priorities straight."

"Yeah," Sokka said happily. "Food above everything else!"

"Hey, this one really is interesting," Aang said. He had wondered over to the table and was looking at a third scroll. "Look, it requires air, water and fire."

The Mechanist clapped his hands together rapidly. "I was hoping you would like that idea! It's a turbo steam engine. I have a model set up in my laboratory. Come see!"

The Mechanist's laboratory turned out to be a large chamber with what looked like a lot of junk inside. Near the middle was a huge steam engine. The Mechanist positioned Katara and Zuko side-by-side in front of the engine and showed Aang to a platform above. Everyone else stood back.

"Katara," the Mechanist directed. "You keep directing water from this chamber into the one below the furnace. Lord Zuko, you keep the fire going in the furnace. That will heat up the water until it boils and steams. Then Aang," the Mechanist said to Aang above, "you use air to push the steam into these pipes." The Mechanist hopped over to a connected chamber. "The steam will build up here and drive forward this pump," the Mechanist pointed, "and that's connected to a gear that will turn-"

"This little tiny wheel?" Suki asked, pointing to a hamster bird wheel nearby from the sidelines. Her expression implied that she thought this was about as efficient as Zuko did.

"Yes!" the Mechanist answered.

"Amazing!" Sokka whooped. Suki planted her face in her palm and Toph patted her shoulder.

Zuko nudged Katara. "Want to put a bet on this thing exploding the minute we start bending?" he asked under his breath.

"Maybe we should just go easy with the bending," she replied, looking skeptically at the steam engine. The engine worked the first time they tried it, though and the wheel spun easily. The Mechanist was elated. Zuko shared a surprised look with Katara before they looked up at Aang. To their greater surprise, Aang looked upset.

"What's wrong, Aang?" Katara asked. "I thought you'd be excited to see some of these ideas in action. This one worked great."

"But I'm the only airbender," Aang said. "Stuff like this only works if there's an airbender."

"Not true!" the Mechanist said, jumping in. "Air is all around us, and it flows with a will of its own. We're learning how to use its natural path. One day, we might not need benders at all, for any of the elements. Just humans with brains who can figure out how to use the elements in their natural forms. There are also alternatives to using so many elements at once to create power." He looked at Zuko. "I've been experimenting with natural lightning-"

"You've been experimenting with _what_?" Zuko said, while Sokka punched his fist in the air and yelled, "Super awesome!"

"-and lightning is a form of energy that can be directed through many things. I can catch it in metal and run it through water, but I can't hold it. If only we could figure out how to harness all that energy…"

"Lightning is incredibly dangerous," Zuko said, wondering how many screws were loose in this guy's head.

"I know," the Mechanist said happily. "It's incredibly unpredictable. It takes more patience than I have to wait for a storm. But now that you're here…"

"You want me to bend _lightning_ at you?" Zuko asked incredulously, trying to temper the anger he was feeling. The Mechanist looked eagerly at him.

"You cannot be serious," Katara said flatly, crossing her arms angrily next to Zuko.

"Guess the Fire Lord isn't here to shoot lightning at people either, huh Katara?" Toph snickered.

Katara scowled. "No." Zuko tried not to smile at her ferocity on his behalf. "He is not."

"But if I can just figure it out, we won't need airbenders," the Mechanist continued. "We can harness energy using water, lightning and metalbenders alone!"

"I don't think any of this is making me feel better," Aang said, looking pale.

"Well, Twinkletoes," Toph said, "if you want to make sure airbenders are involved, all you need is a wife and some flying kiddies."

Aang kicked the ground, and Zuko knew Toph was only making it worse. Sokka put his arm around Aang's shoulders. "Don't worry, sport! You're in good company here. Zuko needs heirs just as much as you do." Zuko cringed and glared at Sokka.

Aang shrugged Sokka's arm off his shoulders. "At least if Zuko never has kids, his whole race doesn't die off."

"Yeah, but Azula's kids end up inheriting the throne," Zuko said, trying very hard not to think of the conversation he'd had with Uncle before he'd left and definitely not looking at Katara this time.

"Azula!" the Mechanist said. "I've heard of her. Do you think she'd be interested in shooting lightning at me?"

* * *

That evening Zuko couldn't sleep. In the late hours of the night, he got up and wandered out into the temple yards. The moon was waning, but it was still bright in the sky, and it almost seemed as though the moon spirit were looking down on him. As a firebender, Zuko didn't have the same power under the light of the moon that he had in the sunlight, but as someone who had journeyed a long way to find his own destiny, he still found the moon a comforting spirit. There was something about the way she washed everything in gentle light. It softened things and made all the cracks and dents disappear into shadows. He walked through the air temple ruins, watching the glow cast an eerie light and listening to the whispers of seasons long past.

"She's not here."

Aang. He was meditating among the ruins. "I'm not looking for her," Zuko said, assuming without thinking that they were talking about the same girl. "And I found you." He sat down next to Aang. "So how are you?"

Aang cast a longing look around the ruins. "This is where the monks took us for history lessons," he said. "We would sit in the grass and listen to them tell stories of all the great air nomads and spiritual leaders. For me, it still feels like that was only a few years ago."

"Does it still bother you that the Mechanist rebuilt so much of this place?" Zuko asked.

Aang looked thoughtfully at Zuko. "You've renovated half of the Fire Palace. When you walk through its halls, do the memories of what it was still bother you?"

Zuko answered honestly. "Some of the memories fade slower than others." Sometimes he still saw ghosts he didn't want to see.

"Rebuilding memories is hard," Aang agreed. He sighed. "Zuko, are you doing okay?" he asked. "Sometimes I think you're struggling more than you let on."

Zuko's eyes popped out. "Me?" he said. "You're the one having trouble bending and worrying about 'heirs' even though you're only seventeen!"

Aang's lips formed a tight smile. "That's true," he said. "But I'm your friend, and as your friend I watch out for you too."

Zuko was silent.

"It's been good to have everyone back together again, hasn't it?" Aang continued. "We don't see each other as often as we used to. You must be lonely all by yourself in the Fire Palace."

"Probably not as lonely as you are by yourself on Appa all the time," Zuko countered. "You could visit more often, you know."

Aang's shoulders drooped. "I know," he said. "I really miss this. I bet you do too. It's nice to be with people who know you for your true self, not your title."

Zuko grunted an acknowledgment. "Honesty and authenticity are luxuries when you're in the public eye."

"Don't I know it," Aang said. He laughed. "Hey, do you remember getting stuck in that tar when we went to find the original firebenders?"

Zuko thought of their faces stuck between the bars of the grating that had imprisoned them in the Sun Warrior's tar pit. He had been so unsure then. Unsure of how they would get out, unsure of how he would learn to bend again, unsure of how they could possibly defeat his father.

"Remember the dance?" Aang asked.

"How could I forget?" Zuko replied.

"That was when we really became friends," Aang said.

Zuko glanced at the airbender again. "Are you sure _you're_ okay, Aang?" he asked.

"I think friendship is the most important element to learn to bend," Aang continued seriously, ignoring the question. "Years go by, things change, people move on and out, and if you want to make sure you still have a place in the universe you have to figure out how to keep the friendships that matter to you."

"Aang, I don't think you and I have anything to worry about," Zuko said. "I know we don't get together as often as you'd like, but we'll be having these sessions when I'm 96 and on my deathbed."

Aang looked down. "Actually, I wasn't thinking about us," he said, and his voice had a haunted quality.

"You weren't?"

"No. I'll be there. When you're 98 and on your deathbed, and I'm still a sprightly 92." He glanced back up at Zuko and his big eyes were sincere and caring. "But I don't think I'm going to be the last person in the room with you."

Zuko didn't know what to say. He felt woefully bad at comforting his friend. Aang stood up.

"Zuko, are you going to make me spell this out for you?" Aang asked, smiling crookedly at him. "As long as you keep acting like you don't feel anything for her, she isn't going to acknowledge that she feels anything for you. She's sitting by the pools in the courtyard. Go talk to her. Don't screw this up."

Zuko stared at Aang. Sometimes he forgot Aang wasn't just any 17-year-old boy.

* * *

After that, his feet drifted toward the courtyard. He wasn't sure why, but maybe Aang was right. Maybe he was working so hard to protect his friendship with Katara that he wasn't looking at the bigger picture. Could he keep their friendship like this forever? A series of letters every few months? A brief visit every two years? It was loyal and supportive, but it was also a bit like the scar on his body where Azula's lightning had hit him: permanent but fading with time and distance. He thought of the close companionship he had shared with Katara over even the last few days. It had come back to him like breathing. The way he moved toward her when they were together was automatic. He had always assumed it to be part of a one-sided attraction. Aang and Sokka didn't seem to think it was so one-sided. What if they were right?

In any case, he found her easily again tonight. She was running her bare feet through water in the courtyard pool and humming something to herself. Her skin glowed in the bath of the moon's light. From where she sat, she would have been able to see him approach, but her eyes were shut and he walked quietly. So instead of announcing himself, he just stopped. For a moment, he watched her, and she looked so serene it almost made him hurt.

"Come on Zuko," she said unexpectedly. "Sit by me. The water's just right."

He moved toward her and sat down. "How did you know it was me?"

In response, she held her hands at her sides as if she was lifting something he couldn't see. He felt moisture in the air swirl around him. "It's even easier to do when the moon is completely full," she said. "It must be kind of like how Toph sees. I sense the water in everything."

"That's incredible," he said, awed.

She eyed him and winked. "Are you sure? Aren't you just afraid of me now?"

"Ahh," Zuko said. "You're referring to your ability to crush my bright, fiery soul now that the sun has gone down." He clutched his hand to his chest. "But the moon isn't completely full tonight."

"Don't tempt me to try, Lord Zuko," Katara teased, giving him a push with her hand. He pulled himself back toward her.

Then they stared into the pools of water together, watching the moon continue to rise.

"So what's keeping you up tonight?" she asked.

"I could ask the same about you," he countered.

"No, you couldn't. You know exactly why I'm up," she said, the tone of her voice smooth and low. "The moon is beautiful. It calls to me." She paused before she went on with a sigh: "But I guess there are other reasons too."

"Aang?" Zuko asked.

"Yes," Katara said, "and you." Her full honesty stunned him. It was strong and bold. But it shouldn't have been a surprise that she would be honest with him, Zuko thought. He'd never known her to be anything less than strong and bold, and he valued that honesty.

"Why?" Zuko asked before he could think not to say anything. He felt a strange twinge of irritation. "Why is everyone worried about me? Everything is going fine with me. My country is doing well. My people respect me. We're rebuilding step-by-step. Aang's the one who's having trouble bending."

Katara kept her eyes trained on their reflections in the water. "I keep thinking about those villagers, and how scared they were of you."

Zuko shrugged, embarrassed. "Those things happen sometimes," he said. "My reputation is changing slowly. So is the reputation of my nation. Things are a lot better than they were. It isn't a big deal."

"Are you sure?" Katara asked. "Because it can't be easy to deal with that all on your own." There was pain in her voice – for him. "Tonight I keep thinking what it must be like."

"You don't have to feel sorry for me," Zuko said, suddenly angry even though this was Katara.

Her mouth formed into a hard line. He became aware of the water in the pools levitating around them. Every drop rose, hovering above them until the water encased them in a great bubble of water. Then she touched his arm and for a brief moment he felt her take control of his blood. It was beautiful, actually, all the water falling around them, and her eyes carrying something fierce and even angry, but utterly ensconced in emotion. Then everything fell all at once, and she led the water back into the pools like it had never happened, letting go of her hold on him at the same time.

"Katara," Zuko said cautiously, "I don't understand. I know you're stronger than I am right now. And I know what you can do, and that you would never hurt someone you cared about."

"I know you know that, Zuko," Katara said. "That's not what I'm trying to show you." She sighed and splashed the water with her toes. "Look, I know what it's like to be strong, and to have to hold back because you don't want to hurt someone. The difference between you and me is that most people don't think of water as deadly. So I don't have to face the same looks people give you."

"Water is life," Zuko said. "Not death. It's cool and healing."

"Fire is life too," Katara said. "It's warm and comforting. And water can be death. It can rush in and destroy, wiping out everything it touches." She looked down. "Sorry about the blood bending. I just don't ever want you to think I pity you or feel bad for you, because I don't. But I might understand you better than you think. Maybe I always have."

Her skin was bronzed moonlight. Her hair was cascading waves. When she looked up again and met his eyes, he was mesmerized. The blue was deep like all the depths of all the seas, and his heart fluttered in his chest. Could she tell? He didn't care. He reached up slowly like he was moving through water and smoothed down a stray lock of her hair. His fingers brushed her skin and floated down from her temple to her cheek until he could just barely rest his palm at the side of her face. She closed her eyes and caught his wrist in her hand. Her fingers slid down the inside of his wrist and he breathed in silently at her touch. How was she so sure of herself? It was such a relief for him not to be the one in control for once. How had she taken that control from him? How was it that he didn't even _want_ to be the one in control for once? He looked at her lips, closed around her teeth, and thought of leaning forward. She set his hand back down.

"If you…if we…" she stumbled. Time stretched out between them. "Not this way," she said finally, looking away.

He blinked, the spell broken.

She turned away like he was dismissed, so he got up to leave, wondering what that had meant. Had she just rejected him? What had he been planning to do? Would he have kissed her? Had she stopped him because she didn't want that? Why did he feel so drawn to her one minute and so sure the next that there would never be anything mutual between him and Katara? Maybe it would be wise to chalk up all the feelings he had for her to the simple spark that happens when opposites attract and forget about it. Maybe it was unwise to start thinking there was more – though there was so much more – than that.

Zuko never did get to sleep that night. There was just too much to think about.


	8. Chapter 7 - Fight

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Katara was having a bad day. First, she had woken up with the sun. It would have been impossible not to. Toph had crashed into her room at dawn that morning, with a yawning Suki in tow behind her.

"Sweet Cheeks! I need advice," Toph said, slamming down onto Katara's bed. Suki plopped down beside Katara too and curled up, resting her head on Katara's shoulder.

"She's crazy," Suki explained sleepily. "Something wrong," she pointed to her head, "up there."

Toph leapt up from the bed and started pacing the room. "There _is_ something wrong," she said, "I can feel it. I keep trying to stop, but all I can think of is Teo."

Katara grumbled something unkind and pulled the covers over her head. Suki took over part of Katara's pillow and snuggled next to Katara. Katara had the semi-conscious thought that she liked this girl very much, and was grateful for the fact that her future sister-in-law was the kind of person who appreciated sleep as much as a normal person should.

Toph stomped and the bed shook Katara and Suki out onto the hard floor. "This is serious, you guys!" she said. "It's like ever since the flying thing yesterday, I can't get him out of my head."

"Gee, Toph," Katara said, rubbing a sore elbow. "Why do you think that might be?"

"I don't know!" Toph said. "But you're the experts on these matters. You've both been in – situations – with guys. How do I get out? How do I make it _stop_?"

Suki giggled while Katara tried to keep a straight face. "Are you asking us how to break up with a guy you aren't even with?"

Toph nodded.

"Well don't ask me," Suki said, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Yeah," Katara teased. "She still hasn't figured out how to get away from Sokka."

Toph threw herself onto the ground. "Maybe I don't _want_ to get rid of him. But it's like my head is all full of nothing. Katara, how do you do this all the time?"

"Excuse me?" Katara asked.

Toph sat up. "It's no secret, Katara," she said. "Every time Zuko even looks at you, your sugar-soaked heart beats like a wild-"

"Maybe you need to get your ears checked!"

"Oh come on Katara," Toph pleaded. "I need help. You have the most experience winding boys around your finger. Guys fall for you like you're the only damsel in distress worth saving. I've heard the stories. Jet, Keiro, Haru. Even Aang was all over you for, like, the whole war." She plopped onto her stomach. "How do you do it?"

Suki squeezed Katara's arm. "She can't help if she's just that good, Toph."

"Please, Katara," Toph begged. "What am I supposed to do?"

Katara let out an exhausted sigh. "Toph," she said, "There is no secret. You just have to be yourself."

"Stand up for yourself," Suki advised.

"But never be afraid to tell him what's on your mind," Katara said.

"Oh, and make sure that he knows you can kick his butt," Suki said. "Guys like that."

"Definitely," Katara said. "And a smile and a hair flip can go a very long way."

Suki groaned. "And that had been going so well," she said. "You're a terrible feminist, Katara."

Katara shrugged. "Sometimes it's worth it to take advantage of your feminine wiles to get what you want."

"Well, not every woman can or should use feminine wiles to get a guy to do what she wants. Toph, just remember, you might have to kiss him first," Suki advised. "Sometimes women have to do that."

Toph gave them a confused, blind-eyed stare. "So I should be cute, flirty and honest about how I feel, all while I'm taking him down?"

Katara and Suki exchanged glances. "Pretty much," Suki said. She laughed with Katara.

It was just then that Teo knocked on the door. He looked smitten, and he clearly only had eyes for the Blind Bandit. He was carrying a bunch of wild flowers. "Toph," he said happily, "these are for you. I picked the ones that smelled the nicest. Want to have breakfast with me? The tea is already made."

Toph beamed like she had just landed in a pot of chocolate fondue. "That would be great!" she said, and they left together.

"Guess some girls just have it easier," Suki said, climbing back up into Katara's bed and lying down.

"You're telling me," Katara said, and she lay back down next to Suki. "But it was pretty awesome when you kicked Sokka's butt the first time we met you."

"Thanks," Suki said. "And by the way, I don't think Zuko's heart is exactly quiet when you look at him either."

* * *

Second, breakfast was awkward. Really awkward. The idea that Zuko might be feeling anything about her like what she was feeling about him was not helpful. It just made her want somehow to wave her hand and make the night before disappear. What had happened? The night had been so beautiful. Then Zuko had appeared out of nowhere, like he'd stepped right out of a dream. (Not that she dreamed about him. Or at least not that she cared to admit that Zuko ever showed up in her dreams. Or that it was happening with more frequency this week.)

She had wanted to talk to him. She was glad to see him. She had wanted to make him see and understand that he wasn't alone. Then the moment had come when she had turned to him and found him looking at her _that_ way, and she knew she'd gone too far. He was bewitched by the moon or by something else. It wasn't _his_ hand moving up to graze her face. It wasn't _him_ leaning closer in. It was someone possessed by the way the moon looked down on two people and changed them. She had to stop him, even though she wanted for all the world to let him keep going, because if Zuko ever wanted…if she ever wanted…well…she wanted whatever they wanted to be mutual.

And now what had she done? While Suki, Sokka and Aang told jokes, and Toph and Teo scooted closer to each other over dumplings and rice pudding, Katara could barely look at Zuko. When she did, he stared too long, and the look he gave her wasn't a happy one. It was like he was trying hard to figure something out.

She attempted to lighten the mood. "Zuko," she said, trying to tease. "You look like you didn't sleep at all."

Sokka, Suki and Aang stopped their jokes to follow the conversation.

"Thanks," Zuko said, his voice stormy. Katara's face went red.

"Whoa, what's up with them?" she heard Sokka ask Suki. Suki shushed Sokka by hitting him hard on the back of the head.

Aang looked sympathetically at Katara. "I don't think anyone slept well last night," he said. "Hopefully it won't hurt our training exercises today."

"What do you have in mind, Aang?" Katara asked, thankful for Aang's helpful interference.

"The Northern Air Temple sits up in the mountains," Aang said. "Hardly anyone lives in the valleys below. We'll go down there and try some bending exercises again."

"No," Zuko said firmly. "We are not recreating that idiotic bending tournament."

Katara wasn't sure why, but she felt hurt at that too. "I think it's a great idea, Aang," she said. "We have to figure out what's going on somehow."

Aang nodded. "And we don't have to use a bending tournament."

"So how are we going to test your bending?" Toph asked. "Hide and explode? Capture the headband?"

Aang shook his head. "I was actually thinking of something more self-driven. Teo has a thing we can use. Trust me. You guys will like it. No one will have to fight with anyone else."

"Well so far this doesn't sound like the start of anything fun," Sokka grumped, but after breakfast they rode Appa down into the valley, including Teo in the group. Suki sat next to Sokka in the saddle with his arm around her, while Toph chatted happily with Teo, leaving Katara and Zuko to take turns pretending like they weren't looking at each other. So maybe the Fire Lord hadn't quite grown out of sulkiness and teenage angst. Katara found herself growling over the thought.

"Hey Zatara," Sokka said. "Take it down a notch, huh? Your aura is killing the mood."

"Zatara?" Suki asked.

"My name for Katara when she's acting like Zuko," Sokka said proudly.

"Stuff it, Sokka," Zuko said, reminding Katara just slightly of the way he'd been when they first met him.

"What if Zuko was acting like Katara?" Toph asked.

"Hmm…I think we'd call that Katuko."

"I like the sound of Zutara," Suki commented, snuggling closer to Sokka.

"Nah," Sokka said. "That's for when they're all oogly-eyed over each other."

Fire shot by Sokka, narrowly missing his ear. "I said, stuff it," Zuko said, and now he looked almost murderous.

"But I was just…"

Water shot at Sokka, and it wasn't a miss. Katara raised her eyebrows at Sokka while he shook the water from his face. Zuko laughed, and some of the tension dropped.

"Are you guys all done?" Aang called from Appa's reins. "Because we're here."

* * *

The place they stopped in was a clearing in a valley between two mountains. Appa set them down in front of a man-made contraption that looked like it was taking up the space of an entire air bison polo field.

"It's an obstacle course," Teo explained. "My dad and I set it up for Aang about a year ago, but we've added some cool new tricks since then."

Aang was excited. "This is great! Are those air grenade shooters?" he said. "Thanks Teo!"

"The coolest thing is that you can all do it," Teo said. "Suki and Sokka, you guys too. You don't have to be a bender."

"Are you sure it's safe?" Katara asked, eying the obstacle course. It was pretty long and she couldn't see what was at the end, but it looked like a lot of moving platforms, swinging blades and element shooting cannons. Everything was fifty feet in the air, above a river that gushed over rocky rapids.

"Totally safe," Teo said. "Nothing is real. It just looks real. So if you get hit by one of the blades for example-" he pulled a lever and one of the blades swung out on the obstacle course "-worse case scenario you'll wake up with a nasty bruise tomorrow."

"Or you'll fall to your death," Katara noted. "Isn't everything kind of high up in the air?"

Teo smacked his hand against his head. "Of course!" he said. He swung another lever and a crank began to turn, slowly rolling out a net under the obstacle course. "Sorry about that," Teo said. "It was in Avatar mode."

"Come on, Katara," Toph taunted. "When have you ever been afraid of a little training exercise?"

"I'm not afraid of anything!" Katara defended herself. "I'm just not stupid about how I train."

"So who wants to go first?" Teo asked.

"Not Katara," Toph laughed.

"I'll go," Zuko offered. Katara's eyes darted over to him. Zuko was flinging off his outer robes and getting ready. When he'd stripped down to just loose pants, he signaled Teo to start the obstacle course. Katara tried to figure out where she was supposed to look. Zuko had been muscular five years ago, and he clearly hadn't slacked on his training. "Toned" didn't exactly cover it.

"Can you do that?" Suki whispered to Sokka, who had started ripping off his own clothes.

Katara smacked her brother. "Please, Sokka, keep it to yourself."

"Hey!"

"Go get 'em Zuko!" Toph cheered. The rest of the group joined in. It wasn't hard to get into. Zuko was a machine, moving through Teo's obstacle course like it was playground equipment and like he had some aggression to work off. Katara was dutifully impressed.

"Try not to ruin it for the rest of us!" Aang yelled when Zuko took out some fake wooden soldiers with a blast of fire that reduced the whole set to a pile of charred wood.

Zuko turned back, blasted fire at Aang, and yelled: "What are you waiting for, Avatar?"

"Oh, that's it," said Aang, who had deftly avoided the blast. He tossed his robes to Teo. "I'm in." Aang rushed in and the obstacle course quickly became a battleground between airbender and firebender.

"So much for self-motivated," Suki said. Katara wasn't complaining. She flinched whenever Aang and Zuko got a little too close to each other moving from one platform to another, but the warrior in her itched to get out there and join them. She found herself taking off her own outer robes, tying back her hair and hopping from one foot to the other like a boxer getting ready to throw herself into the ring. After a while, Suki gave her a push, shouted "Incoming!" and Katara found herself fending off blows from both Aang and Zuko, who quickly teamed up against her. She gleefully fought back. Katara also had some aggression to work off.

"Right," Aang said, taunting her. "Because you can definitely take both the Fire Lord and the Avatar at one time, Katara."

Zuko gave her an evil eye and sent a shower of fire over her.

Katara drew on the water from the rapids below, sending a powerful wave at Aang and Zuko and knocking them both over. "That's Sifu Katara to you, Aang!" she yelled.

"Yeah Water Tribe!" she heard Sokka shouting from the sidelines. "Get 'em little sis!"

Katara swiftly dodged a hailstorm of rocks the obstacle course sent at her, then a gush of air that rushed at her. Then another wave of fire licked at her ankles, and Katara realized something: Zuko was holding back.

"What, are you afraid of fighting a girl?" she yelled, leaping up and freezing the entire platform Zuko had been standing on. He leapt too, and landed gracefully on another platform.

"You want a fight?" Aang shouted, landing behind her. He held his hands up, grinned and dodged a water strike from her easily. "No problem, Katara!" She found her feet iced to the platform. Zuko bent more fire down at her as Aang jumped to another of the moving platforms, and Katara had to hunch over to avoid the blasts.

Aang and Zuko stood together above her after that and began alternating sending fire and air her way. Katara blocked, jumped and shot back whips of water, getting a real fight from both guys. It was satisfying, she thought, until she caught Zuko's eye. Then everything changed. His gaze was frozen, his eyes seeing through her like he didn't care who or what she was. She stumbled back in response and lost the whips of water. Caught off guard, she tried to bend water to shield herself, but she felt like she had been kicked hard and her bending didn't cooperate. Aang got her with a blast of wind that swept her down onto another platform. She fell.

All of the strikes against her stopped, and she heard her friends calling her name. She had landed on a lower platform. The shouting voices sounded like distant echoes in her head.

"Shorty!" Toph yelled to her, and that she heard loud and clear. "I'm comin' in!" She barreled in like a cannonball, and Katara watched the platforms Zuko and Aang were on rise suddenly, requiring them both to jump again. Toph laughed wickedly as she forced the boys from platform to platform with her earthbending. She propelled herself onto Katara's platform. Katara felt her strength coming back.

"That's the way it's done," Toph said. Katara got back up shakily and stood next to her. "You okay?" Toph asked.

"I think it was just temporary," Katara said, testing her ability to bend water again by pulling up a stream from the river below.

"Good," Toph said, catapulting Aang and Zuko away one more time. "Then this just became an unfair fight. To them."

Katara laughed and concentrated on bending up a wave of water that knocked Aang and Zuko both down again.

"That's more like it, Sugar Queen!" Toph yelled. She high-fived Katara.

"Game on, Toph!" Aang shouted, looking relieved to see Katara back up. He and Zuko resumed their attack, and if Zuko was holding back, Katara didn't have the will to correct it again, nor did she have the will to make eye contact with him again to find out.

Eventually, Suki and Sokka joined in the game. Suki landed next to Katara and Toph, and Sokka rushing in yelling: "boys against girls!" Toph sent him flying through the air, but Aang caught his wrist and flew him to higher ground. Katara enjoyed fighting with Suki and Toph as her partners, and the Gaang continued their epic battle until Teo turned off the obstacle course and declared that the sun was getting too high and it was time for lunch.

"That was great work!" Teo said, congratulating them as they all jumped down from the platform. Katara felt sweaty and exhausted. She gratefully took a towel from Teo.

"So how was that, Aang?" Sokka asked. "Notice any bending problems?"

"Not really," Aang said. He seemed to be thinking over the fight. "When I first jumped in, I felt rusty, and Zuko obviously seemed fine. But by the time Katara came in, it was just like always." He looked over at Katara. "There was a minute there when you didn't seem okay."

"I would have been fine," Katara huffed. "If you and Zuko had just acted normal. You didn't have to screw with my confidence by going easy on me in the beginning like that."

Aang looked surprised. "I _was_ acting normal," he said, but Zuko was avoiding eye contact with her. "Zuko?" Aang asked.

Zuko hesitated and everyone looked at him. "Look," he said, his face picking up color it didn't normally have. "I was fine by myself out there and fine when Aang came onto the course." He turned to Katara. "But I wasn't going easy on you."

"It felt like you were. Until you started acting like we were enemies again," she said, unable to keep the accusation out of her voice.

"You were the one who said you didn't want us to treat you like a girl," Zuko said. Now there was eye contact, but it wasn't pleasant. "I was just doing what you said you wanted!"

"I wanted a real fight. I wanted you not to hold back. I didn't want you to treat me like a stranger!" she yelled.

"Then maybe you shouldn't send such mixed messages!" he yelled back, his eyes flashing dangerously. Katara looked away.

"Everyone stop yelling!" Toph said. "Let's just go back to what we know. Aang was fine when he and Zuko were goofing around out there together, and fine when Katara came in. But Zuko wasn't as powerful fighting against Katara and as soon as Zuko and Aang teamed up against Katara, she started feeling worse too, especially when Zuko turned on her-"

"And I felt really alone," Katara said slowly, picking up on the theme but keeping her eyes trained as far away from Zuko as possible. "As soon as I had a teammate again, I started feeling better."

"So maybe Aang's bending problems have something to do with him being alone all the time," Toph suggested.

"I'm not alone," Aang said. "I have plenty of friends."

"But we're not there for you all the time anymore, are we?" Toph said. "Even Katara is gone."

Aang looked guiltily at Katara. "I guess that's true," he said. "I didn't notice any of this until Katara stopped traveling with me."

Katara's stomach dropped. "Oh Aang," she said. "I didn't know."

Aang picked up his glider and turned away from the group. "I just need some space," he said, walking away. Katara started to follow, but Suki and Sokka held her back.

"You have to give him time," Sokka said. "You can't solve all his problems for him anymore."

"And it's time for you to take care of someone other than Aang," Suki said, turning her around to look the other way. Zuko had grabbed his robe and was walking the opposite direction. "Like maybe-"

"Zuko doesn't need anyone to take care of him," Katara said, confused. Sokka and Suki shared glance.

"Even if he doesn't. You need to take care of yourself," Suki said.

"What?"

"Just figure it out, sis," Sokka said, giving her a shove in Zuko's direction. Katara grabbed her own robes and followed.

* * *

She trailed Zuko until they reached a flowing spring, where Zuko stopped. He bent down, wet the towel Teo had handed him, and used it to start wiping off the sweat and grime from the game. Then he sat down on the rocks and splashed water in his face. The summer sun beat down on them both. She stood watching awkwardly behind him.

Zuko spoke first. "Why didn't you go after Aang?" His voice was even, like he was trying to keep her from knowing what he was thinking. Was he jealous?

"I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?" Zuko's laugh was gritty, and Katara realized she was apologizing for more than just the obstacle course.

"I asked you to play harder," she said. "And you did. It was just…strange."

"Not as strange as last night," he muttered. "When you basically asked me to go away."

The pain in his voice shot through her like an arrow. She sank down on some nearby rocks, her back turned to him. Her eyes stung and she felt a tear slip down her cheek involuntarily, followed by another and another. She hadn't meant to hurt him, and she couldn't stand the thought that she had. She'd only been trying to protect their friendship – to keep them both from doing something they'd regret when reality settled back in. Obviously, the result had been the opposite of her intent. Her body began to tremble at the thought and she felt foolish.

She fought to quell her emotions, which were threatening to spill over at the possibility of Zuko pulling back from her. They were already so far apart in real life, but at least they still qualified as "old friends." Would her heart break if they drifted further to become strangers? It would. She knew it. A sob rose in her throat.

It never made it past her lips. Zuko reached her first, gripping her shaking shoulders with his hands and turning her physically until she faced him.

"No, no, no, Katara," he said, his voice kind, genuine and mildly frantic, while her tears continued anyway and she tried futilely to wipe them away. He reached for her cheek and caught a tear she'd missed with his fingers. "Hey, come on, it's okay. I'm being overly sensitive. It's a firebender problem. Bad temper. Emotions out of control."

She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm the one crying."

"Want me to cry too?"

He said it with such sincerity that Katara choked on a laugh and her tears subsided. He had knelt down in front of her. Now he leaned in and hugged her impulsively, pinning her arms to her sides. They were both still dressed – or rather undressed – as they'd been during the training exercise. The brief skin-to-skin contact made her body tingle. He leaned away again quickly, moving his hands back to rest on her upper arms, and looked squarely at her. When had she started associating yellow eyes with warmth? She struggled to quell new emotions.

"I didn't realize how hard it would be to fight you, Zuko," she admitted. "I guess I got used to fighting with you on my side. I didn't think it would hurt to be on different sides again. I thought it would be like we were just sparring."

"It _was_ just sparring," Zuko said, his thumbs stroking her arms gently.

"But you looked so…distant," she tried to explain. "It was like when we were kids…before we were friends. Before you even knew my name."

Zuko's hands dropped. He sat heavily next to her with a sigh. "I only looked that way because I was pretending it wasn't you."

"Why?" Katara asked.

Zuko glanced down. "I don't know. I'm used to fighting with you on my side too. I don't ever want to hurt you again. I don't even like the idea of pretending to fight and maybe accidentally hurting you."

She was silent, thinking of times in the past when he'd hurt her. The last real hurt had been…

"I never forget what happened in Ba Sing Se," he said, his voice low and tight. "I know we're friends now, but I swore to myself I'd never do anything to hurt you like that again."

"That's why you did it," Katara said, a hundred ideas clicking in her head all at once.

"Did what?" Zuko asked.

"The lightning. Azula," Katara said, and tears threatened to drip down her cheeks again.

"Katara, if it's a choice between you and me, you always win. The world needs you more than it needs me."

It made her shiver to hear him say it like that. And here she had been worried about hurting him. "Zuko, how are we ever going to spar if we can't stand the thought of hurting each other?" She laughed.

Zuko gave her the look of affection he seemed to reserve primarily for her. "I'm sure we can find a way," he said, stretching back. "I can always hire soldiers to play 'Team Tornado' for us when you visit."

She lit up at the idea. "We can resurrect liquidy hot offense?"

"Very hot. Very liquidy." He grinned at her, though he looked down again shortly after. "But you have to show up," he added softly. "For a visit."

She grabbed his hand. "I will," she promised, a much better mood settling over her. She felt as though they'd resolved their fight. There was only one thing nagging her. Against her better judgment, she pursued it. "Zuko," she asked, her voice also soft. "This is still platonic, isn't it? I mean, that's what we both want, right? To be friends?"

He gave her a look she couldn't decipher and cleared his throat. "Yeah," he said, letting go of her hand casually. "But, uh, we should clean up and get back or our friends will think it's something more."

"And that ride back on Appa would be rough," Katara said, joking to hide her unexpected disappointment.

"Exactly," Zuko agreed. He threw back on his robes. Katara was thankful for the fact that he'd ditched his full Fire Lord armor. The casual robes he wore now made him look more like the Zuko she remembered from five years ago, and that was comforting in itself.

"Do you think Aang's okay?" Katara asked, covering back up in her own robes too. But Zuko didn't get the chance to answer. The ground began to shake and Katara struggled to stay steady on her feet. She looked back at the path they had taken away from the rest of the group. "What's that?" They were in the valleys of the mountains of the Northern Air Temple, and when she looked up, she could only see hilly cliffs and trees growing on sharply angled rocks.

Zuko looked unsure, but he had braced himself against the shaking ground too. He glanced up and around as if trying to find what was causing the disturbance. Then they saw it: rocks raining down in a dusty summer storm. Everything was coming faster than it should and dust was clouding the air and making it hard to breath. It was like a river of earth. Katara had never seen anything like it.

"Is that an avalanche?" she asked, staring dumbly at the rocks. Zuko didn't answer. He just grabbed her hand again and started to run. They ran fast together, away from the raining rocks and away from the path back to their friends.


	9. Chapter 8 - Lost

**Author's Notes:**

I know. The story. I really am trying to remember that I need a plot. But let's face it: I only really care about the thing going on between Katara and Zuko, and I think if you're still reading, you might feel the same way. So I'm guilty-as-charged, of indulging in a series of Zutara moments and pretty much ignoring the rest of the story for the whole next chapter. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

"How is it possible that we're completely cut off from everyone else?" Katara asked for the third time, oblivious to the power of the fanfiction writer.

"I don't know," Zuko said, "but we are. The obstacle course was between two mountains, and the pass we came through to get here is blocked. We've been walking for hours. Hopefully everyone else made it out on the other side, but in the meanwhile-"

"There's a mountain range between us and them. Wonderful," Katara said irritably. "Do you think they're okay?"

"Aang's a lucky kid," Zuko said. "He'll have made it, and the rest will have figured out how to get out too. So the real question is, what are we going to do?"

Katara sat down on a boulder and rested her feet, which were sore from the rough terrain. She shaded her eyes from the sun and looked up at Zuko. "We're making it harder for them to find us by walking around like this," she said. "We should make a signal fire. Sokka's probably up there on Appa right now. And Teo and his friends all have gliders. Maybe they even flew over us already. This forest is dense. They probably just didn't see us."

Zuko watched her, a puzzled look on his face. "But wouldn't we have seen them?" he asked. "Or at least heard them? They can get farther flying than we can on foot, and they knew where we were before. If they're looking for us, it seems like they would have found us by now."

Katara chewed on her upper lip. "I just can't imagine they aren't trying to rescue us," she said, thinking of what their friends would be doing now. They knew she and Zuko were together, and they knew where everyone had been before the rock slide. So assuming the rest of the group was alright, she couldn't figure out why they wouldn't be looking for her and Zuko. She hoped no one had gotten hurt.

Zuko was still watching her, though the puzzled look was gone. A crooked smile played on his face instead. "Guess I'm more of a skeptic than you."

"You don't think they're looking for us?" Katara asked, shocked. "But won't they be worried?"

"Maybe." Zuko glanced up to the sky. "But I don't think getting us back together with the rest of the group is their highest priority."

She crunched up her face, bewildered. "Not their highest priority?"

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Well they know we're not going to die out here. We won't have trouble finding water or making fire. We've both spent enough time on the road to be capable of finding food. They know you can heal any injuries we have. So if they want to leave us alone-"

"Why would they want to do that?" she asked hastily.

He looked at her for a long time before he answered. "Katara," he said then. "You really can't think of a reason why our good friends might decide to leave us out here alone for a while? I mean, you do know that we could…that we're both…"

He trailed off lamely. She stared stupidly at him in response. He had sounded almost frustrated. Did he think it _hadn't_ occurred to her that if he wanted…and she wanted…then maybe they could…? Of course she knew it was _possible_. But he was _Zuko_. He'd dated _Mai_. She was _Katara_. She had _nothing_ in common with Mai. What would make her think he'd even be interested?

Now as for their friends: she groaned as the ugly, embarrassing truth sank in. Why hadn't she seen it before? He was spot on. They had been up to something all week. She put her face in her hands. "Oh no," she said. "You're right. Oh spirits. They're probably taking bets on how long it takes before we start making out."

He started laughing. She stared at him. He laughed harder, leaning against a tree for support until his entire body shook. Soon she was laughing too, and it was uncontrollable belly laughter at the absurdity of the situation and their mutual acknowledgment that their best friends had turned a terrifying rock slide into a long game of "seven minutes in heaven."

"Do you want to make out?" he asked after a while, giving her an absolutely adorable grin. Her stomach somersaulted inside her. Was he _joking_? "Because I could be up for that," he continued, chortling through his nose. That settled it. This wasn't just absurd. This was dangerous. He was hysterical.

"I think you're dehydrated," she said, smiling while he failed miserably to get a grip on himself.

"So that's a no, then?" he asked, and he was still smiling too, but he also said it wistfully and with something fading in his eyes that she didn't want to see go out. Her insides continued to turn in on themselves. Why did these things keep happening? How was she supposed to know what was real and what was just the product of circumstance? Still…

"I didn't say that." She let an exasperated sigh escape. "I'm just not going to take advantage of you when you're clearly not feeling well."

He looked at her like _she_ was crazy, so she rolled her eyes, stood up and grabbed his arm. "Come on, Zuko," she said. "Let's go find one of those springs again. Maybe a swim will clear your head."

* * *

Zuko had been confused about his relationship with Katara this morning. Now he was utterly baffled. Only a few hours ago she'd been concerned about whether this was still platonic. So had she really just said the words "we" and "making out" in the same sentence casually? Had he actually gone and asked her – albeit jokingly – if she wanted to make out with him? Had she sort of kind of said that the reason they weren't making out right now was because she thought that would be _taking advantage_ of him? In what world did that make sense? Did she not know how attractive she was? To him?

"We should build the fire before we get into the water," Katara was saying, but her arm was still around his and he wanted badly to swing her around and forget everything that had ever held him back and-

"So?" she asked.

"So what?" he said.

"Zuko." She put her hand on her hip. "Do you think maybe you got hit by a rock earlier? I was saying we should build a signal fire. Let's find that spring with the pretty waterfall and we can build the fire nearby. Then we can play around in the water a little."

"You want me to wade around in cold spring water for the _fun_ of it?" Zuko asked, catching up to the conversation.

"You were okay with being in the water before," she argued.

"I was covered in filth and sweat and needed to clean up before," he retorted. She glanced sideways at him and took the opportunity to brush a layer of rock dust from his robes.

"You're covered in filth again." She looked down at her own robes, which were equally dirty. "And so am I. This will give us an opportunity to clean off our clothes too."

"You want to skinny dip and do laundry?" he asked incredulously.

"I want to _swim_," she huffed, "and it makes sense to rinse off at least our robes at the same time. Look, if you don't want to get wet, you can just sit in your dirty clothes and watch _me_ swim."

Zuko eyed her. Even with a layer of dirt all over her from the rock slide and an annoyed look on her face, Katara was pretty, and she didn't seem to be kidding. Maybe he hadn't made it out of the rock slide alive. Maybe this was the afterlife. What would Uncle have done in this situation? Probably pretend he had no idea how to make fire, just so he could extend the time he got to spend with the pretty girl. He definitely wouldn't turn down the swim. Uncle had never led him wrong, so…

"Zuko?" Katara said. "What's it going to be?"

"Fine," he said. "I'll swim with you."

They couldn't get to the original springs they'd come to after the obstacle course, but Katara led them in a different direction as if she could sense the water. The next thing he knew they had arrived at another larger spring, complete with waterfalls, pools of crystal clear water, and a bubbling stream for the water to escape into. The sun was sinking lower in the sky and the orange glow made even Zuko look like he had a slight tan.

Katara immediately stripped down to her underclothes, squatted down by the water and began rinsing the rest of her clothing out. She looked over at Zuko, who pulled off his own robes reluctantly as well. "These will never dry before nightfall," he said.

Katara rolled her eyes. "I'm a waterbender, Zuko," she said. "I can bend the water out after they're rinsed." She stretched her arm out to him. "Want me to do yours?" she asked.

He handed over his robes and winced as she dunked them into the water with hers. "Thanks," he said.

"No problem," she said. Zuko set about gathering wood nearby and trying not to get chilled thinking about spending the evening in wet clothes. By the time he had the signal fire going, though, Katara was done with the clothes. Their robes were neatly folded when he returned to the spring and she was wading in the water. She grinned at him when he touched his robes and found them completely dry.

"That's a nice trick, Waterbender," he said, impressed.

"Thanks," she said. "And thanks for setting up the fire."

"You're welcome," he said, though it had really been no trouble whatsoever.

"So are you getting in the water?" she asked him. "Or are you really just going to watch me swim?" She waded farther out until she was waist deep, then disappeared under the water. A minute later she reappeared even farther away, emerging like some kind of water spirit. Katara's figure was perfect – all curves except for where the angles gave away a muscular frame and evidence of years of mastering her element. Zuko stood at the slippery edge of the spring and watched her swim freely, taking in the lovely view. Oh, and enjoying the scenery. Lovely springs. Zuko's face warmed just thinking about the way he was watching her.

"Come on, Zuko," Katara said. "The water's been warmed in the sun all day. It feels great."

Zuko couldn't remember the last time he had purposely gone for a relaxing swim. When he'd dated Mai, they'd taken a few trips to Ember Island together for the fun of it, but mostly they lounged in the beach house or on the beach, not in the ocean itself. There had been that time when he swam through the ocean at the North Pole and nearly froze to death, but that wasn't his idea of relaxing. Otherwise, Zuko didn't play in water. He drank water. He bathed in water. He watched the gardeners tend the plants with water. He did not play in water.

"At least get in and rinse the dirt off," she said, floating gently in the middle of the pool. "I swear, once you get in, you'll like it."

He reluctantly dipped his feet into the water and waded in up to his ankles. There was too much shade and Zuko shivered. Katara came back to him, stepping out of the water to take his hands. "If you go slow like that, it'll feel cold." She pulled him by his hands, inching him into the pool until the water was just above his knees. "Honestly," she said. "You have to go for it."

"Are you crazy?" Zuko took back his hands and held his arms to his chest, sticking his fingers under his armpits. Every hair on his body felt like it was raised in protest. "It's so cold I have goosebumps!"

Her laughter echoed against rocky walls. "Warm up the water yourself," she suggested.

He raised an eyebrow grumpily at her.

"Maybe you need a little help," she said, a wicked note in her voice.

"Katara, what are you doing?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," she said, raising her hands in the air as if to say "I'm innocent!" But the water had started rising to his waist and he wasn't really surprised when a wave knocked him over, sending him flailing the rest of the way in. He surfaced yelping and cursing, but she was right: as soon as he was completely wet, he didn't feel as cold anymore.

"The important thing is to keep moving," she said, swimming to an area where the water was deeper. "Keep your blood flowing."

Zuko grumbled to himself, but it was hard to be annoyed with Katara when all she wanted was to float around in next-to-nothing in the water with him. He swam out after her and found a rock to hang onto. Katara swam around him like a fish.

"My Uncle tries to get me to the hot springs in the Fire Nation sometimes," Zuko said, the thought popping unbidden into his head.

"Do you go?" Katara asked, waving her hands through the water.

"No," Zuko said, trying not to be too obvious about the fact that he couldn't stop looking at her. And she'd thought _she_ would be the one taking advantage of _him_.

"Why not?"

"Uncle Iroh prefers to be…" Zuko thought of the most delicate way to put this admission, "…free in the water."

Katara giggled like she didn't have another care in the world. The sound was intoxicating. "That's not an image I needed," she said.

"Believe me, it isn't one I ever wanted either," Zuko said. "But Uncle's ideas usually have more merit than I give him credit for." Zuko took a deep breath and warmed the water around them with his breath of fire until he felt lazy and soothed. "Ahh, that's better," he said. "Guess Uncle was right."

Katara swam near to him and treaded water. "Wow. Remind me when I visit you that I need at least a couple firebenders on call at all times to make sure my bathwater always feels like this."

"At your command, Lady Katara," Zuko said, emphasizing the "royal" in his voice. Her eyebrow quirked teasingly up.

"Very good, Fire Lord," she said. "I'd also like heated towels, fancy bath salts and rose petals in the tub."

He laughed. "Is that what it would take to get you to come see me now and then? Because I'm pretty sure I can make all that happen."

Her eyes rounded at the thought, then she twirled in the water and laughed at herself. "What's it really like?" she asked. "To be the ruler of an entire nation?"

Zuko dunked his head underwater and brought it back up, pondering the question. "When I was a kid, being a member of the royal family was the only thing I knew." He wiped water from his face with the back of his hand. "But then after I was banished, I spent so much time away from the palace that I got used to being more normal. When you're royal, there's always someone following you around, but you can't trust anyone. When no one knew who I was, I had more freedom."

"You have freedom right now. And you have your Uncle," Katara said. "You can trust him."

"I only have freedom right now because I'm here alone with you, and you know me for who I am as a person, not the Fire Lord," Zuko said. "And Uncle is pretty much the only family member I have that I can trust. I don't know what I would do without him."

Katara furrowed her brow. "How's Azula doing?"

"She's Azula. She's dangerous and crazy and I can never trust her."

"Sometimes people change. Maybe one day you'll feel differently."

Zuko splashed water at Katara, who bent it playfully away with a flip of her hand. "Always the optimist," he said. "Only you would think that my crazy sister – who almost killed both of us – could change. But not everyone changes, Kat."

Katara floated on her back. "I know she isn't normal," she said. "But you shouldn't give up hope."

"She was born twisted," he said. "She's like my father. A monster. All she knows is power. I have to switch the staff at her house prison every few weeks just so she won't be able to influence them enough to let her go."

Katara looked at him like she was looking into his heart. She didn't believe him, or at least she didn't agree with him that Azula was beyond hope. "Do you think she'd have been different if she weren't born in the palace?"

"No," Zuko said. "My mother tried with her. It wasn't enough."

Katara swam closer and clutched his arm with her hands. "You're still looking for her, right?" she asked. "Your mother?"

"Of course," Zuko said, his voice wavering.

"You'll find her." Katara's voice held so much conviction that he did believe her. She was compelling in the sort of way Azula would never have understood. He wanted to reach for her waist in the water to stop her body from drifting away from him. To bring her closer.

She let go. "Maybe a normal family isn't out of the question for you." Her tone was casual, but the brief flash of her eyes to his made his breath quicken. He couldn't stop watching as she floated away.

After that, they swam in silence until Zuko realized he would have to warm the water again or get out.

"I'm getting out," he said. "My skin is pruny."

* * *

Katara watched Zuko finish building the signal fire back up. When he was done, he stood watching it burn. "Warm enough?" he asked, turning back to her. She was sitting near the fire trying to glean heat from it.

"I'm okay," Katara lied. She had bent the water away from them both after they got out of the spring, but even though they were dry and dressed again, it was a chilly night and she was shivering.

Zuko watched her with a pensive look on his face, then sat down next to her. Katara shivered again unwillingly and he shifted closer. She imagined what it would feel like for his body heat to extend to her, and the thought made her want to lean into him. She rubbed her arms with her hands instead, leaning closer to the fire. He breathed out softly next to her. Then he put his arm around her. She felt it land on her shoulders awkwardly, like he wasn't sure if he should be doing this.

Despite his hesitancy, it felt just like it had a few days back, when he'd put his arm around her to illustrate the point that a guy doesn't sit with his arm around a girl he's just friends with. For an instant, heat rose inside her and she could feel her own energy blend into his.

She quickly ducked out of his reach. It had been a game earlier, when they'd laughed at their situation. Then they were laughing at their friends trying to set them up. Now it didn't feel like a game anymore.

He didn't laugh.

"Zuko, you don't have to do that," she said, looking away and feeling a jumble of mixed emotions. "I know we're just friends. I don't want you to do something you wouldn't normally do."

"Just friends," he repeated. He said it like he was trying to understand the concept. When she risked looking back at him he was staring into the fire.

He was silent for a while before he spoke quietly. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe I wanted to?"

Katara's posture stiffened. Time stilled. He turned back to her and his eyes drilled into hers. "But I thought…"

"As more than just friends," Zuko added, his voice low and raspy and unsure.

Katara didn't know how to answer. She tried to process what he had said. For so long, she had purposely avoided acknowledging any feelings she had for Zuko as anything other than a friend. The affection in their relationship was something she attributed to history. The attraction she attributed to the fact that he was objectively handsome. She assumed the fleeting thoughts she'd had of romance were one-sided. Until this week, if he'd ever wanted to kiss her or hold her or even just look into her eyes longingly, he hadn't given himself away. The confusing moments of the last few days – especially last night, when the moon had been so full and he had seemed bewitched – those moments were a string of anomalies. None of it had been real.

That's what she had thought.

It was her seeing things that weren't really there.

Unless she had been wrong.

Unless those moments had been _real_.

"Look, Katara, that was probably crossing a line," he said, stunning her out of her oblivion. "I don't want to mess up anything with you. Forget what I just said. I'll find more wood. We can make the fire bigger." He started to stand up, but her body managed to catch up with her heart. She grabbed his hand and looked up at him.

"Zuko," she said, swallowing. "It's already enough. Just sit down. With me. Like you were going to."

Zuko lowered himself back to the ground, looking for all the world like he expected her to change her mind any minute. Katara slid cautiously closer to him. He gingerly lifted his arm to make room and she carefully cozied up to him until she was pressed lightly against his side and his arm rested down around her. Her body was quivering, but she couldn't tell if it was from the cold or from whatever this was.

"There, this isn't so bad, is it?" he asked, a little breathlessly.

She took a deep breath and tried to relax, allowing her head to sink back into his shoulder. He was stiff, and she could feel it when he took a deep breath himself and started letting go of the tension in his body. Slowly, they melted into each other.

"No," she said. "This isn't bad. Thanks Zuko." He pulled her in tighter and rested his chin lightly in her hair. She didn't resist, and she heard her own contented sigh.

"What now?" he asked.

"I don't know," she admitted, and she wasn't sure if they were talking about them or the situation generally.

"Well we're not just any two lost travelers," he said. "I bet we can figure out how to get over that mountain range tomorrow."

"You think we weren't motivated enough today to do it?"

"I wasn't," he said sheepishly. "It was nice to have you all to myself most of the day. I wish I could have you around like this all the time."

"You're the Fire Lord," she said, and she couldn't stop the strange hitch in her voice. "You're powerful, important and presumably extremely busy. Why would you want me to come bother you?"

"Oh, come on," Zuko said. "We both know you could take me in a fight if you really tried. You're a complete waterbending badass."

"Zuko!"

He laughed. "So you're plenty powerful yourself," he continued. "As for important – you're the Avatar's best friend, you saved the Fire Lord's life, your dad is the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe – doesn't that technically make you the Water Princess?"

"We're just a small tribe, Zuko." Katara blushed. "I was raised in an ice hut!"

"Only because my nation worked so hard to wipe out all the benders in the Southern Water Tribe," Zuko said sadly. "They must have been a pretty big threat, or no Fire Lord would have spent so much time at the South Pole."

Katara smiled. "I guess you might be right."

"I am right," he said confidently. "You are very important. And I am very busy." He lowered his voice. "But you would never be a bother, Katara. I'd clear my schedule for you. Always."

Katara's heart was beating wildly in her chest. If there had been a line before, it had definitely been crossed tonight. So if lines were being crossed, would it be okay for her to cuddle into his shoulder? Would putting her hand on his chest be too much?

"I count the days between letters from you," she said quietly, shifting so that her ear was against his left breast and resting her hand in the center of his chest, just above the place where she knew the scar from Azula's lightning remained. His heart was beating fast too. She could hear it. "I keep worrying that you're going to start writing less."

"I guess maybe there are some things we need to talk about."

"I guess maybe there are," she agreed.

"Are you still cold?" he asked.

"No," she said. "Not at all."

* * *

They looked into the fire together and Zuko found himself imagining that this was something he could have. He quickly banished the thought. Their confessions had been mostly harmless: they thought highly of each other. They missed each other. There were things they were willing to do – like sit together like this – as more than just friends. A door might be open now, but they were both only looking in. For now. Well, he thought, maybe it's a start. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of her breath and the fire crackling nearby.

He wasn't sure how late it was when they both started to yawn and nod off, but it seemed natural to settle down together, and even though the ground was hard and uneven, Zuko felt at ease with her back lined up against his chest, his chin nuzzled into her hair, and his arm wrapped around her body. He fell asleep almost immediately, thinking maybe this was some kind of dream.

When he woke up in the morning, he was so surprised to find her still in his arms that he decided this was definitely the spirit world, he was definitely dead and he should definitely try not to move or think or do anything that would make this one amazing moment disappear into the void. After this was gone, he was sure he was doomed to an eternity of boredom or maybe punishment for his earlier crimes in life.

But then she woke up, and she went cold in his arms, so he went from holding a lovely, soft breathing thing to holding a lovely scared thing that was holding its breath and getting ready to bolt. He contemplated pulling her to him even closer, but decided against it on the grounds that this could be real and if so it was probably a bad idea to make her feel like she couldn't escape. So instead, to test whether this was reality or not, he spoke. Stupidly, all he could think to say was "you're awake." (He had never before wished to be like Toph, but a nice cutesy nickname would have been great right then.)

Then she responded. She said "you're an early riser." So that settled it. This was real life. Real life. He was living. She was living. They had fallen asleep together, and now in the light of day he didn't know what to say or do, only that she had a choice right now between immediately rolling out of his arms or staying with him a little longer. The tension in her body said she was about to move away. Zuko sighed, waiting for it to happen. A few seconds ticked by.

She relaxed again, molding back into him as she breathed out.

She stayed.

Zuko had no idea where to go from here. He knew what he wanted to do, but most of what he wanted was out of the question. Even the simplest things – touching his lips to the back of her neck, nuzzling his face further into her hair, squeezing the hand that he held – seemed out of the realm of possibility. Then again, waking up with Katara in his arms had seemed impossible yesterday, and now look where he was.

Hand squeeze then, he thought. That was the least intrusive thing he could think to do. (Was it strange to be worrying about being intrusive with a girl he'd just spent the night with?) Maybe if she didn't move, he'd pull her a little closer. Spirits save me from myself, he thought. This is all about to go downhill.

But a noise saved them both from the awkward nonsense Zuko had been planning to pursue. It was the great yowl of a six-legged air bison. Appa. That got both him and Katara up in a hurry. Zuko blasted fire into the air as a signal, while Katara hurriedly straightened her robes and her hair. It was cute, Zuko thought, that she was trying to make herself look presentable when they'd just spent the night outside sleeping on rocks together.

"There they are!" Zuko heard Sokka yell. Zuko had never disliked that Water Tribe oaf more.

* * *

Katara woke with a serious kink in her neck and Zuko wrapped around her like a blanket. Somewhere in the middle of the night they had fallen asleep, and she realized with a weird thud in her heart that she had relaxed completely in his arms, sleeping through the night like the dead. His breath tickled her neck and it took her only a few moments to realize it wasn't slow or even enough for him to be asleep. He must have been waiting for her to wake up. She froze like a scared animal.

"You're awake," he said, holding completely still around her. Katara wondered if he was as nervous as she was. Did he know she was about to panic and run away? Was he about to do the same? What force was keeping them both still?

"You're an early riser," she said, resisting panic and trying to figure out what she was supposed to do now. The situation was embarrassing. Her back was pressed against his chest. She was resting her head on one of his arms. His other arm was draped over her, and they were holding hands. Holding hands. When had that happened? Panic was becoming more likely every second.

But at the same time, everything felt so right. His chest was warm, and she could feel his heart beating, strong and steady. The arm she rested on was muscular, and it made her feel safe to lie with him. The hand that held hers fit around her fingers like a glove. And he wasn't moving away. He was just waiting. Waiting – she realized – for her to decide if she would move away from him or stay put.

Had he implied last night that he wanted to be more than just friends? Had she implied that she was okay with that? Is that what she wanted? Since he wasn't moving – since he had obviously woken up before she had and he hadn't pushed her away – could she assume that's what he wanted? Was it very wrong that she felt so warm and comfortable with him that she also didn't want to move? If she let herself mold further into him, what would happen?

She took a very long, very deep breath and allowed her heart to choose. As she breathed out, her shoulders relaxed back against him, his arm sank heavier around her and she closed her eyes, savoring the warm comfort. Now what? It felt as though she had given him an affirmative sign. An indication that he would not be rejected if he tried to take this further, and a little smile came to her when he didn't move at all. Maybe he wasn't quite sure what he ought to do now. They were both new to this game.

Then she heard Appa's yowl and she did bolt up, immediately brushing down her robes, pulling twigs out of her hair and hoping to all the spirits that nothing about her appearance would scream that she had just spent the night sleeping with Zuko, who was also brushing himself off but looked much calmer than she, and was looking at her with a bemused smirk that she would have liked to kiss off.

"There they are!" she heard her brother yell. Katara grumpily thought that it would have been nice to have been born an only child.


	10. Chapter 9 - Found

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to those of you who are following this story, have marked it as a "favorite" or have left a review. I really appreciate all of those things!

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Katara got a big group hug from everyone except Aang, who was driving the bison. Zuko climbed up after her and avoided the group hug. But when he sat down next to her on the saddle – much closer than normal – it did not escape her attention that Toph handed a sizable mound of coins over to Sokka and said: "I thought it would take another five chapters!"

Katara felt like there was steam rising from her ears, but Zuko leaned over slightly until his arm brushed hers. "She lost a bet with Sokka," he said. "Toph never loses a bet. Just enjoy the moment." He leaned back, crossed his arms and smirked.

"Someone's in a good mood," Aang said in a chipper voice from the reins, wagging his eyebrows up and down. "Guess you two must have made up."

"Or made out," Toph said under her breath, but loudly enough that everyone could hear. Sokka and Suki both snickered, and Katara's face became approximately the same shade as Zuko's robes.

Zuko just rested his neck on the edge of the saddle, looking totally at ease. "Where are we going now?" he asked. "We're obviously not going back to the Air Temple."

Sure enough, when Katara looked she could see the Northern Air Temple fading in the distance, and all their things were packed up and loaded again. It bothered her that whatever was going on with her and Zuko had thrown her off enough that she hadn't noticed the change in plans herself. "Yeah, what happened back there?" she asked, trying to recover. "Why are we leaving?"

"To answer your questions, first, we're going to that creepy abandoned Earth Kingdom village," Sokka said. "The one where Zuko's evil crazy sister tried to take us all out at once." He nodded to Zuko. "No offense, man."

Zuko raised his hands. "None taken. Your sister is perfectly capable of her own brand of evil."

"What!?" Katara yelped. She had thought they were getting closer. Where had that come from? Wait: was he _flirting_ with her? His eyes were on her again, and they glinted like he was daring her to do something about it.

Sokka widened his eyes and said: "So I'm not the only one who's noticed?" and Suki, who was sitting on Katara's other side, laughed silently. _Traitor_, Katara thought.

She glowered at Zuko and he quickly switched to an innocent, imploring look, so she crossed her own arms, rested her own head back against the saddle like his and muttered: "I'll show you evil."

"Katara," Sokka said. "You know who you're talking to, right? Zuko? Fire Lord Zuko? As in the man-formerly-known-as-_Prince_-Zuko-the-Fire-Nation-guy-who-was-really-really-bad? His first girlfriend was that gloomy chick who threw razor-sharp daggers and yawned while she was doing it. Promising to show Zuko evil is as good as asking him out on a date."

Zuko laughed smugly and put his arms around the back of his head.

Katara blinked. She should ignore that, right? But Zuko was apparently fine with it, and she felt oddly lightened by his easy laugh. The whole thing flustered her. "Just get back to the questions, Sokka," she demanded. "What happened? And we better not find out you guys purposely cut us off from everyone."

"Of course not," Sokka said. "We only purposely didn't bother to come find you _after_ everything went down. The rest of it's a big mystery."

Zuko groaned. "I will never understand how you guys evaded me for so long when we were kids."

"I can't believe you decided to leave us alone all night after an unexplained rock slide!" Katara said. "What if one of us had been hurt?"

"As if Zuko would let you get hurt," Sokka scoffed.

Katara glanced sideways at Zuko. He shrugged at her, and she was flustered again: this time by the endearing realization that he was so protective that her over-protective big brother had noticed. "So how did you guys escape?" she asked, trying desperately to get her mind on something other than Zuko. She _had_ to get it together.

"Well obviously I tried to use earthbending to save us all from being crushed by rocks," Toph said. "I did okay for a while. But then my bending started to feel weak and the ground started shaking, so I couldn't see as well with my feet. I'm not sure we would have made it, except that Teo…"

"Pretty much swept her out from under her feet and carted her away," Suki finished. "Leaving me to save Sokka."

Sokka whimpered.

"Where was Aang?" Katara asked.

Aang didn't answer. His shoulders slumped and he let out an anguished moan. Katara wanted to say something, but didn't think she should. Aang always carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and when he couldn't figure out what to do, he had a tendency to run away. In some ways, she'd felt compelled to stop traveling with Aang because it was like she was just helping him do what he always did: avoid settling down. He was a free spirit, but it also seemed like he was trying not to grow up.

"Aang thinks a dark spirit is after us," Sokka supplied when Aang didn't answer. "And he doesn't remember what happened. He didn't find us all again until after the dust had cleared."

"You don't remember anything, Aang?" Katara asked.

Sokka shushed her. "We asked him already. He's really upset and doesn't want to talk about it."

Zuko frowned. "What kind of dark spirit? What could it be after?"

"The kind that's following us and trying to take away our bending," Toph said. "Aang's bending especially."

"And it seems to be trying to separate everyone, especially from Aang," Suki said.

"So after we regrouped," Sokka continued, "we decided it was too dangerous for us to spend time where anyone else could get hurt. We packed up Appa, left the Northern Air Temple and came to pick you two up from your play date. We're going to that deserted place in the Earth Kingdom village." Sokka leaned back. "It'll be just like the first time. All of us versus the bad guy."

Katara slouched down in the saddle. "You mean minus General Iroh and Azula, plus Suki, with Zuko as our ally instead of our enemy and with no idea what the bad guy actually looks like? Yeah, that sounds exactly like the first time."

Zuko and Toph laughed.

"Fine! I get it! It won't be like old times," Sokka said. "But we can still pretend! The point is, we're going to the deserted Earth Kingdom village. Do you have any more questions?"

"Yeah," Zuko said. "Did anyone think to pack breakfast? Maybe next time you decide to 'purposely' leave Katara and I alone somewhere, it could be near a market or something. I'm starving."

"Hey, that's supposed to be my line!" Sokka said.

* * *

Zuko was worried about Aang. The bending problems Aang, and to a lesser extent everyone else was having concerned him. Aang refused to take help at the reins, and he seemed quieter than normal, rarely participating in the conversation, especially when Sokka wanted to talk strategy on isolating the bending problems. When they landed in the Earth Kingdom village late that afternoon, Aang only stuck around long enough to help unload the bison. Then he skirted off on his own.

In the meanwhile, Zuko was having a hard time focusing, and it had nothing to do with Aang and everything to do with Katara. The idea that she might reciprocate some of the feelings he harbored for her was new, raw and dangerous. It heightened his sense of every interaction he had with her. All she had to do was catch his eye and adrenaline shot through his body. He wanted to get her alone again, to find out if she was feeling the same way, but he still wasn't sure where any of this was going. The thought of having a "fling" with Katara was downright distasteful. His fear of losing her friendship made it absolutely necessary to take everything slowly and carefully. And she wasn't giving him a clear picture of what she wanted – if she even knew.

So they were dancing around each other, doing little things to test the other's boundaries. Light teasing. Touch that was gentler than normal and lasted a second longer. Getting caught staring. Helping each other in ways they had always been able to do but had never done before. Though Zuko knew Katara didn't _need_ a hand down from Appa.

They were walking the edge of a cliff, but it was pleasant and it off-set the bad memories being in the Earth Kingdom village brought back for Zuko of a time when he had still felt lost and confused. Back then, he thought capturing the Avatar would restore his honor and it seemed like all his plans were blowing up in his face. He remembered the show-down with Azula here: how strange it was at the time to fight alongside Aang, Katara, Toph and Sokka; how he hadn't been able to stop Azula from targeting Uncle Iroh; how Uncle would never even have been there if Zuko hadn't selfishly tried to go off on his own. Zuko truly was grateful for his uncle's unconditional love and forgiveness, and for the friendships he had today.

Katara caught him looking at scorch marks on the side of one of the buildings. "It was a long time ago, Zuko," she said, and he appreciated that she didn't bother to ask what he was thinking about.

"Sometimes it's hard not to hate the person I was back then," he said. "Things would have been so different if I had just listened to my Uncle earlier."

She slipped her arm around his waist, and it was remarkable that she could still be his friend despite all the flirting. He gratefully put his arm around her shoulder, turning slightly toward her for a real hug, which she didn't resist. She held him close, while he clasped his arms around her back, and she patiently let him maintain the hug, not saying anything when he rested his head against hers. He vaguely identified this as part of what he couldn't stand to lose about her friendship, but when she pulled away, a part of him that desperately wanted to kiss her rose up and made him wonder if there was a world in which he could have both the deep friendship and the romance.

She caught him looking at her lips, raised an eyebrow and playfully pushed him back at the chest. "I need your help," she said. "Someone needs to find out where Aang went before it starts to get dark."

"Oh, I see," he said, also playfully. "So you really followed me over here because you need help tracking down some other guy."

"You're the expert, Zuko," she said. "Might as well make that dark history work for you. Anyway, I'm going with Suki to try to find somewhere we can hole up in for the evening. Do you mind?"

He shook his head and laughed. "I was just heading out to find him, dear." She rolled her eyes, and the flirting was back on full force, but Aang was on his mind too, so he did set off to track down the Avatar.

Zuko had a talent for finding him, and his instincts were right on cue. After a short search, he found Aang on top of the roof of a half-collapsed building. The building was tall and Aang had taken his glider to get up to the top. Zuko managed to swing up from the rafters and through a hole in the roof to join him.

"Hey," Aang said. He was sitting looking out away from the town and into the Earth Kingdom prairies. There was a warm breeze in the air and the grass rippled in waves.

"Hey," Zuko said. He sat down next to Aang. He didn't say anything else for a long time. Sometimes being a good friend meant just sitting in silence and waiting for the other person to talk.

"So things are going well with you and Katara, am I right?" Aang asked after a while, and it sounded like it was meant to be good-natured teasing, but Aang's voice fell flat.

Zuko turned to study Aang. His face was long and his eyes looked sad and empty. "I don't think we should talk about me and Katara," Zuko said. "I think we should talk about you. You don't seem okay."

Aang's chest heaved. "I wasn't there," he said. "Again."

"It's not your responsibility to look after everyone all of the time," Zuko said.

Aang groaned in frustration. "It _is_ my responsibility, Zuko. It's my destiny to bring balance and peace to the world!"

That was hard to disagree with. Aang was the Avatar, and that put balance and peace directly into his purview. But Aang seemed so lost right now, and it didn't seem fair for a seventeen-year-old who had already saved the world to have to constantly be thinking about his destiny. Zuko imagined what Uncle would say if he were here. Something like: "It is impossible to fulfill your destiny when you do not know which way to point your feet." Yeah. That wasn't going to cut it. Zuko's advice had to be more tangible.

"Aang," he said, "I don't think you can bring balance and peace to the world when you can't find it in yourself."

"I know," Aang said. "But how am I supposed to do that? For so long it was my destiny to find the Fire Lord and defeat him. Then I did it, and now I don't know _what_ I should do." Zuko thought of everything Aang had done over the last five years. The boy had traveled the world essentially looking for villages that needed help, and he'd done a lot of great things, but it was true that Aang was sort of a free agent. It was hard to say what one particular thing Aang was working on.

"You do have your alchemy project," Zuko thought out loud.

Aang rolled his eyes. "No one needs the Avatar for that," he said. "It's more like a hobby than a destiny."

"What about your work renovating all of the air temples? That's important."

Aang turned to him. "Zuko," he said, "You're not that good at this."

"Do you want me to get Katara?" Zuko asked, chagrined.

Aang shook his head. "No, I think that's part of the problem." Zuko raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Aang continued. "Katara took care of me forever. Then she sort of figured out that she needed to do something other than take care of me. And I understood. I really did. I still do. She's a powerful, amazing bender and I can't spend the rest of my life letting her take care of me like she's my mother. But now that no one is taking care of me, I feel lost." He turned to Zuko. "How do you do it all the time? How do you run an entire nation? How did you do it when you were only sixteen?"

Zuko thought about it. "I feel lonely a lot. But I'm never completely alone, I guess. I always have Uncle. I rely on my friends. You. Sokka. Katara. Even Toph. You've all been there for me in different ways, and I've learned to let you be there. It's only hard when I wish I had people I trusted like you guys closer to me all the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Zuko admitted. "It's hard for me to let people in."

Aang snickered. "You think?" he said, and they both laughed.

"So I have to learn how to rely on my friends but in a long-distance kind of way?" Aang asked. "That doesn't seem a lot different from what I'm doing now."

"I don't know," Zuko said. "Maybe there's another solution. I don't think any man can stand on his own, without people to support him, though. You have to figure something out."

A grunt interrupted them and Zuko saw a hand reach up over the roof. "Bros!" a voice called. It was Sokka, his voice strained and pitching high while he struggled to get up on the roof. Aang grinned at Zuko. "A little help?"

Zuko sighed, but grabbed Sokka's wrist and pulled him up. "Finally," Sokka said. He sat down next to Zuko and Aang, stuck a pipe in his mouth and kicked out his feet. "Okay, let the bro talk continue."

"Uh…" Aang said.

"Hey," Sokka said. "Sokka's here to help. What do you two jerks need? Advice about war? Advice about love? You know I'm better at both than either of you."

Zuko made a face. Sokka was kind of right, though. Zuko often called on Sokka for help planning delicate operations, such as that incident involving the stand-off with the cabbage man in the southern region of the Fire Nation and that time the news people liked to call "the Northern Water Crisis" when he'd narrowly escaped another war via Sokka's advice. As far as love went: Sokka had all the girls. His first girlfriend was the moon spirit. Ty Lee still had a crush on him. It was rumored that even Toph had been into him at some point. Suki – presumably the girl Sokka was going to marry – was the kind of girl who could out-run, out-fight and out-maneuver any man. So maybe Sokka did know something he and Aang didn't know.

"Okay, do you have any advice on how to bring balance and peace to the entire world?" Aang asked.

"Cactus juice," Sokka said, puffing on his pipe (which, as far as Zuko could tell, had nothing in it). "Makes everyone friendly."

"How about figuring out what your destiny is?"

"Nah," Sokka said. "Just stop worrying so much. In my experience, destiny comes to you, not the other way around."

"Girls?" Aang asked. "Like how to get Katara to go out with Zuko?"

Zuko huffed. "It's more complicated than that."

Sokka nodded and put his arm around Zuko. Zuko said "no" and shrugged him off. Sokka, however, didn't look too pained. "Zuko," he said, "As your future brother-in-law-"

"I haven't even kissed her!" Zuko shot back.

Sokka brushed the comment off like it didn't matter. "Picky picky!" he said. "I saw that hug action earlier. Sokka sees all. And as Katara's actual brother, I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty. She likes you." Sokka widened his eyes and spoke slowly: "th-at wa-ay." Zuko gritted his teeth, but Sokka continued. "Seriously, Zuko, Katara doesn't look at anyone the way she looks at you. Never has, really. You just have to stay cool long enough for her to come to you."

"Is that what you did with Suki?" Aang asked, in the way only someone as good and innocent as Aang could possibly have done.

"That's exactly what I did," Sokka said.

Zuko gave Sokka a cold stare. "Yeah right." He tried to imagine Sokka acting "cool" ever. It was impossible. "You are definitely not cooler than Suki."

"Hey," Sokka said, "I speak the truth." He looked like he was about to go on, but his efforts to defend himself were interrupted when another hand appeared. The guys all stared.

"Twinkletoes! Boomerang Man! Sparky!" Toph's voice came. "Someone give me a lift!" Sokka pulled her up onto the roof. The spirited blind girl crawled over and sat next to them. "Thanks."

"How did you get up here?" Aang asked at the same time Zuko asked: "What are you doing up here?"

Toph shrugged. "Hey! I heard some guy talk going on, and I wanted to be a part." She elbowed Sokka. "I am one of the guys, right?"

The guys looked at each other and then back at Toph. Zuko considered the comment. Toph did sort of seem like one of the guys. She could definitely spit farther than anyone in the group and she was regularly coated in a layer of dirt.

"It's official," Sokka said. "You're a double agent."

"Great!" Toph said, apparently satisfied with her status. "So everyone needs girl advice, huh?"

"I don't need girl advice," Sokka said.

Toph laughed. "Puh-lease. You need girl advice just as much as Twinkletoes and Sparky."

Sokka crossed his arms smugly. "My relationship is just fine, thank you very much. But if you have something to say – say it."

Toph crossed her feet and leaned back on her elbows. "I will, Sokka," she said. "See, your relationship might be fine, but you're making a time-honored mistake."

"Which is?"

"Waiting too long. It is time."

"Time for what?" Sokka asked. Zuko had the funny feeling that Sokka was playing around with Toph.

"Time to get married, stupid," Toph said. "Suki's an awesome girl and she's got everything going on. She's not going to wait around forever."

Zuko punched Sokka on the shoulder. "Better get a move on buddy," he said. Sokka puffed on his empty pipe and rolled his eyes, smiling.

"Well, Toph," Sokka laughed. "I'll give you one thing: you're right that Suki's amazing. Probably the most amazing woman I've ever met. And I do love her. I will take your advice under consideration."

Aang looked eagerly at Toph. "What's your girl advice for me?"

Sokka nudged Zuko. "This oughta be good," he said. "Aang's never even had a real girlfriend."

"Aang," Toph said, ignoring them. "My advice for you is more about the where than the who. If you can't stay somewhere for more than a few weeks, you're never going to find a home. If you can't find a home, you won't find someone who wants to share a home with you."

"Airbenders are nomadic by nature, Toph," Aang argued. "I'm not supposed to have a permanent home."

"Okay, so you think you're going to find the right girl and – what – invite her for a nice romantic ride on _Appa_?" Toph asked.

"That works surprisingly well," Sokka commented.

Aang scowled, his face taking on a stormy look. "I don't know," he said. "It's not like I can go back to the Southern Air Temple where I grew up."

He looked upset, and the topic was uncomfortable. Even Zuko felt the tension in the air. He turned back to Toph, who had started picking her toes. "Hey Toph," he said. "What about me?"

Toph's face lit back up. "Sparky! I've been saving you for last." She paused. "But I don't really have advice for you."

"You don't?" Zuko asked surprised.

"No," she said. "Because based on what I've observed over the last few days, I think your heart is already in the right place. I just don't understand what's taking you so long with Katara."

Zuko felt his blood heat up. "Did it ever occur to you people that maybe Katara and I don't _want_ to date?"

Sokka, Aang and Toph all started laughing. "Oh-" Toph said, rolling around on her back. "Lord Zuko, you have a lot to learn. I think maybe you need someone to light a fire under your ass. I should tell you about this conversation I once had with The Duke about Jet."

"About Jet?" Zuko asked. "That angsty guy who tried to fight me and died in Ba Sing Se?"

"Katara kind of had a thing with him," Aang said grumpily.

"That's one way of putting it," Sokka said, equally grumpily. "What did The Duke have to say, Toph?"

Toph grinned. "Okay. So Jet told Pipsqueak who told The Duke that kissing Katara is just like drinking honey nectar. Apparently Sugar Queen is that sweet."

Aang flinched and everyone looked at him.

"Spit it out, Twinkletoes," Toph said.

Aang wouldn't meet Zuko's glance. "Erm," he said, "it _is_ kind of like that. Cool and refreshing."

Zuko glared at Aang.

"It was forever ago!"

"So," Toph said, deflecting Zuko's glare from Aang. "Do you want to weigh in on what it's like? Maybe tell us what happened last night?"

"No!" Zuko said.

Really. Aang needed to find higher rooftops to sulk on.

* * *

Katara hated spending time in places like this. Everywhere she looked there was an empty house, a door that had been torn down, a wall of bricks that was half-collapsed, a whole building burned to the ground. If she stopped and listened, she thought she could almost hear the sounds of the people who had lived here: crying, laughing, working, sweating and bleeding.

"This is depressing," Suki said, as they unpacked their things in an old inn. She trailed her finger along a table and a line appeared in the dust. "How long ago do you think anyone lived here?"

Katara wrote her name in the dust on the table. "A long time," she said. Then she sneezed violently.

"Ooch," Suki said, waving her hand in the air to wave away a mini cloud of dust. "Maybe we should make a campfire outside and cook over that. I don't think all this dust is good for us."

They walked outside to scope out the town. It looked like it had been a mining area. There weren't a lot of buildings to begin with, but they all seemed to line one street, which lead to a tall water tower. It was empty, but they found a few working wells. "So at least we won't need to use up our supply of water," Katara said. They kept walking until they stopped at what looked like a decaying corral. Suki jumped up onto the wooden fencing. Katara leaned against a different section while Suki balanced gracefully on the edge of the fencing like an acrobat.

"I'm going to miss this," she said, hopping an entire section and landing on her feet nearby.

"The wild wild west?" Katara asked. "I'm not! I hope we don't stay long at all."

Suki jumped back over and sat down by Katara. "No," she said, "I meant I'm going to miss practicing like this with all of my girls."

Katara was puzzled. "What do you mean? You'll be back with them soon, right?"

Suki shook her head. "Sokka said I could tell you," she said. "You'll be the first to know. We've decided to get married."

Katara jumped up in surprise. "Really?" she asked, grabbing Suki's shoulders. "When? Where?"

Suki nodded. "Really," she said. She pulled down her collar and revealed a beautifully carved blue engagement pendant dangling from a piece of green silk. "He gave it to me last night, in the air temples. He said he'd been waiting for the right time."

"And my brother figured that the night after a spirit-induced avalanche was the right time?" Katara asked sarcastically.

Suki smiled. "I think it was nice, Katara." She tucked the pendant away again. "He said he was tired of being afraid of losing me before he'd even asked me to marry him."

Katara smiled back. "I guess he's not always a big dumb lug." Then she frowned, thinking back to what Suki had said to start the conversation. "But Suki, does this mean you're leaving the Kyoshi Warriors?"

Suki sighed. "We want to build a home, and we have to live somewhere. I'm going to get too old to be part of the Kyoshi Warriors eventually. But Sokka's going to get too old not to be at home, taking his place as a real leader in your tribe."

"So you're moving to the South Pole?"

"I think we should after we get married," Suki said. "We haven't really talked a lot about it yet, but I don't think there's any other way."

Katara took Suki's hands and held them tight. "Suki, I'm so excited to have you as a sister. You'll eventually love the South Pole. I promise. But you have to promise me something."

Suki squeezed back. "What is it Katara?"

"That no matter where you go, you'll always be a Kyoshi Warrior. Even if that means you have to start teaching the lugs at the South Pole how to fight."

Suki gave Katara a big hug. "I promise Katara." She stepped back and winked. "So," she asked. "Are you going to tell me what's up with you and Zuko? You seemed cozy today. Did you decide to find out if that story Ty Lee told was true?"

Katara looked away. "No." She blushed. "I don't know what to do about Zuko. I'm so afraid of making a big mistake with him."

Suki laughed. "Katara, I don't want you to do something you'll regret later, but I don't think it would be a mistake for you to admit you have feelings for Zuko and have a little fun with him."

Katara leaned over the wooden corral. "What if I want more than fun with him? And what if that's all he wants?"

"Well if you want to find out, you're at least going to have to work up the nerve to see for yourself how he kisses," Suki said. "Worst case scenario, you get to make out with the Fire Lord. Best case scenario you end up marrying him."

"Worst case scenario he breaks my heart," Katara said. "Or what would be even worse is if I break his."

"If that happens, you'll both get over it. You got over the thing with Aang, right?"

Katara nodded uneasily. "Yes, but we were kids. This feels like it has higher stakes."

"It does," Suki said. "Which is why you owe it to yourself – and to Zuko – to find out what you really have together." Suki nodded toward town. They could see Sokka, Toph, Aang and Zuko walking back toward them together. Aang seemed to be joking with Zuko, and it looked like they were having a good time. "How can you be afraid of that?" she asked. She definitely had a point.


	11. Chapter 10 - Storm

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Zuko wanted to give Sokka a swift kick to the head. It was morning on the seventh day of their escapade, and the Gaang had gathered for Sokka's latest strategy session. They were leaning over a scroll with names on it and arrows drawn back and forth across the page. Based on what he'd heard so far, Zuko was expecting fatalities.

"One-on-one matches only," Sokka was saying. "No one jumping in and ganging up on anyone else, and Aang only gets to use one element at a time."

"Um, is that a picture of me next to my name? Why do I look like an old guy?" Aang asked. "Why does Zuko look like he has an apple on top of his head?"

"Because you're bald!" Sokka said. "And that's Zuko's topknot."

"You still aren't getting the hair loopies right," Katara commented. "I don't wear them like that anymore."

"So I'm nostalgic! Gee! Get off my case!" Sokka exclaimed, glaring. He cleared his throat and went on to explain the six matches necessary for this event: Aang versus everyone else, Zuko versus Toph and versus Katara, and Katara versus Toph.

Katara put her hand on her hip. "This sounds overly complicated, Sokka. Why all the fighting anyway? Can't Aang get in some target practice or something without all the sparring and matches?"

"I'm with Katara on this," Zuko said, crossing his arms next to her. "Every bending match we've tried so far has ended in disaster."

Sokka huffed at them. "Thanks _mom and dad_," he drawled. "But the best way to understand the problem is to see it, and the only time we've seen it is during bending matches. Anyway, Aang and Toph are okay with fighting."

Zuko glanced at Aang. The Avatar was avoiding eye contact and kicking the ground while Toph stood punching a fist into her palm.

Katara looked at him, her mouth puckered sideways, and he looked back, trying to think of an alternative to Sokka's idea. He and Katara were obviously the only members of this group with any sense, but Sokka had gone and put the idea of Zuko being a _parent_ with Katara into his head, and that was making him think crazy, distracting things. A smile curled up on her lips while he stared, and any hope he had of solving this problem some other way vanished. He shook his head at Katara, giving up.

She sighed. "Fine, Sokka. We don't have any better ideas. But let's be careful, okay?"

"Always," Sokka said, holding his hand dramatically to his heart. Then his face brightened. "Aang, Toph, you guys are up first!"

They were fighting in the middle of the street like a western-style showdown. While Aang and Toph began their match, Suki and Sokka perched in the shade on nearby crates and Zuko stood back with Katara on the sidelines. Katara flinched every time Toph got in a good hit.

Zuko grinned at Katara, amused. "He's the Avatar, Toph's not going to hurt him."

Katara scrunched up her face at a particularly hard blow – when had face scrunching become cute to him? – but Aang bounced back up and managed to knock Toph off her feet with a fast air strike. "You're not the one who's going to have to heal them later," Katara grumbled.

Toph stood back up and laughed wickedly in the street. Aang grunted as a shot of earth slammed into his chest, knocking the wind out. Zuko and Katara both cringed at that one.

Katara leaned toward Zuko and spoke out of the corner of her mouth: "The secret to taking Toph out is to keep her off anything solid She's a mess in the mud."

Zuko smiled crookedly at her. "Are you planning a mud fight, Kat?" he teased.

She smiled crookedly back. "I'm planning to fight dirty with Toph, if that's what you're asking."

"Ahh," he said, enjoying the thought. "So how about me? How are you planning to fight during our match?"

"I don't know." She looked him up and down like she was assessing his prowess. "I guess it depends on if you decide to keep holding back." Her eyes glinted dangerously in the sun, and Zuko did not miss the implication.

"You're afraid I'll go too easy on you again?" he asked, lowering his voice. They had been under the ever-present watch of their friends since their strange morning tryst, and trying to slowly draw closer to Katara without ever knowing when he might go too far was making him physically ache.

"You were the one who said you didn't like the idea of accidentally hurting me, Zuko," she said, her voice lowered as well. The fierce challenge in her eyes made him want to end the flirting immediately.

"Do you want me to take risks with hurting you?" he asked quietly.

"What if I hurt _you_?" she whispered vehemently. "If you're too afraid, we should just call off the match."

Her words felt like a punch to the gut.

"Hey, man, you're up," Sokka said, interrupting them from the sidelines. "Katara, you're on deck for Aang's second fight."

Zuko looked at Katara. She looked back at him, her eyes misted over. Calling it off wasn't what she wanted either, then. The ache intensified. He wished he could have just a few minutes alone with her. There were things left undone. Clouded eyes to clear up.

"I'm not calling it off, Katara," he said stubbornly.

"Fine, Zuko," she said. She shoved him lightly toward the street. "I'm not calling it off either. Don't let Toph beat you up too bad."

Toph was waiting for him in the street with her hands on her hips. She cackled as he faced her, probably getting ready to get back at him for burning her feet years ago.

Zuko was at a disadvantage with Toph. Katara's strategy made sense, but Zuko didn't have an ethical way to keep Toph from seeing with her feet. He wasn't about to burn her again, and shooting lightning at her was out of the question. Consequently, he ended up dodging attacks and trying to bend fire near Toph instead of at her.

Still, the match was unexpectedly therapeutic, temporarily relieving the emotional turmoil Katara was inflicting. He only gave in to defeat when he was so exhausted from rolling and jumping around – and in so much pain from the pounding he took when Toph didn't miss – that he finally let her plant his feet to the ground in mounds of earth and call it a win.

"Zuko's not playing fair," Toph complained later, as Sokka called them both back in. "He barely tried."

"I absolutely tried," he said, and Aang and Katara gave him sympathetic looks as he dragged himself into the shade and they went out into the street. "I tried not to accidentally kill you in self-defense while you tried to beat me to death."

Toph snorted. "Yep," she said. "I'm pretty great."

Suki handed him a cloth wrapped around a chunk of ice. "Courtesy of Katara." Zuko took it gratefully and began icing down injuries while he watched Aang and Katara start their match.

"What are the results so far, Sokka?" he asked.

Sokka bent over his scroll. It looked to Zuko like he had been scribbling in crayon. "Toph defeated both you and Aang," Sokka said with an official voice. "No one reported any loss in bending, but we expect to see Aang pick up with Katara."

"Nice one, Katara!" Suki shouted as Katara darted around.

"Get him, Bossy Pants!" Toph cheered.

"Go Water Tribe," Sokka added casually without looking up from his chart at all.

"Isn't anyone on Aang's side?" Zuko asked. He wasn't wasting his opportunity to unabashedly watch Katara, and she looked good in more ways than one. Aang, however, was showing off firebending moves that Zuko was quite proud of teaching him.

"Aang doesn't need the support with Katara," Sokka said. "He's the Avatar, master of all four elements and all. Katara's the master of one element and more importantly, she never fights rough with Aang."

Zuko watched more closely. Neither Katara nor Aang appeared to be breaking the kind of sweat he and Aang had both broken with Toph. "It doesn't look like a real fight."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed. "A lot of times when Katara and Aang traveled around together after the war, people wanted to see Aang fight, so he and Katara sort of got into a demonstration routine. They dance too. Real dancing. Their favorite is some Fire Nation number that Aang taught Katara years ago. Probably helps with the demo fights."

"Aang and Katara dance?" Zuko asked, feeling oddly green at the edges. And why did it have to be a Fire Nation dance?

Toph kicked him and laughed. "Jealous, Sparky?"

"You shouldn't be," Suki said kindly. "Katara and Aang are just friends."

"Katara and I are _just friends_," Zuko said, now jealous, defensive and angry.

"Right…" Toph said. "And Teo and I didn't make out before I left him with his father."

Zuko scowled, while Sokka shook his head and Suki laughed.

Toph punched him in the arm. "Awe, come on Zuko, don't tell me you and Katara didn't share even one little kiss before we showed up yesterday morning? Or that back when we were kids there was nothing that went on with you two during any of your field trips?"

Zuko glared hotly at Toph. "Are you having these conversations with her too?" he asked, feeling murderous.

"What about the day of Sozin's comet?" Toph continued, happily ignoring him. "How do you guys tell that story again? You put your own life in front of hers. Azula nails you with lightning. Katara disarms Azula and then rushes to you, _desperate_ to save your life. She heals you, and you just stand up and watch Azula cry? You don't even _try_ to kiss Katara? She doesn't even _try_ to kiss you? I thought waterbenders and firebenders were more passionate by nature than that."

Zuko tried not to blow up while Toph chortled at him. "You know, Zuko, maybe I misjudged you. Maybe you're too lily-livered to go for it with Katara." She shrugged. "Sad, really. Aang kissed her. Jet kissed her. That Keiro guy kissed her. But you-"

There was lightning forming at Zuko's fingertips. "Toph, you might want to lay off," Sokka advised.

Toph sniffed the air. "Okay, okay!" she said, throwing her hands up in surrender. "I get it. You don't want to think about any other guy kissing Katara."

She jumped up and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hey Twinkletoes!" she shouted. "Katara's boyfriend is getting jealous! It's my turn with Sugar Queen! Bet I can take her out faster than you can!"

"Say that to my face, Toph!" Katara yelled from the street. She caught his eye briefly. Rage made Katara even more intimidatingly beautiful, and despite Zuko's anger at Toph for being an instigator, he did want to know – really urgently wanted to know – what it would feel like to kiss that girl.

Toph changed places with Aang and he lost Katara's attention. Aang zipped over to them on an air ball. He sat down next to Zuko.

"So?" Sokka asked, picking up his crayon. "How was your bending?"

Aang shrugged while Zuko watched Katara start a mud fight with Toph. "Fine, I guess," he said nonchalantly. "But I know all Katara's moves. I ran out of new things to try on her years ago."

Zuko's head whipped toward Aang. "What, so you're bored?!"

"Geez, Sifu Hotman," Aang said, crab-crawling away. "Katara's my oldest teacher. It's probably the same as how you feel when you're sparring with Uncle Iroh."

"You're comparing Katara to Uncle Iroh?!"

"Well, I wouldn't want to watch Uncle Iroh mud wrestle," Aang said, nodding toward the street, where Katara had Toph pinned down.

Zuko took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Hey Aang," he said evenly. "You think Katara and I should be together, right?"

"I really do, Zuko," Aang said.

Zuko leaned toward Aang and grabbed the front of the Avatar's robes. "Then why are you checking her out?" he hissed.

"Chill out, jerkbenders. You can take it to the street later," Sokka said, still not looking up from his coloring pages.

"Maybe sooner than later," Suki suggested. "Looks like Katara's got the edge on Toph."

* * *

By the time Katara was done with Toph, they were both covered in mud and sweat. Katara felt invigorated.

"Nice fight, Sweet Water," Toph said between huffs of breath. She was down in a puddle of mud. Katara's eyebrows knit together. She had never seen Toph look tired after a fight.

"Toph, are you okay?" she said, offering her a hand up. "You don't seem like yourself."

"Toph! Katara!" Sokka called, waving them into the sidelines while he sent Zuko and Aang out. Zuko was glowering at Aang, whose face reminded Katara of a puppy that had just chewed up its owner's favorite slipper.

"Don't kill each other, you two," she said, passing them. "I can only do so much healing at once."

Sokka was taking notes on the scroll where he'd recorded all the matches. "How did it go?" he asked when she and Toph reached him.

"She won," Toph said, stretching out over an unoccupied crate. Suki handed her a cup of water. "Toph is done for the day."

Katara frowned. "I don't want to admit this, Toph, but you're the Blind Bandit. You hardly ever lose in a sparring match, and you pretty much beat both Zuko and Aang. Do you think it's your bending?"

"Hey, lady," Toph said. "If you want to give me an excuse for losing, that's fine. But you were tough today. I don't think it was me, I think it was you. I think you were tired of playing nice for a change."

"So Katara versus Aang – no noticeable difference. But Katara versus Toph – potential loss in bending for Toph," Sokka said, recording everything.

Katara started cleaning the mud off. "If that's what you think, Sokka," she said. "Maybe she's just love sick."

Toph waved her hand over the side of the crate. "Don't kid yourself, Sugar Queen," she said. "If anyone's love sick, it's you."

Suki winked at Katara. "I don't know, Toph," she said. "All we have to do is say Teo's name and your ears get pink. Bet you wish we'd left you at the Northern Air Temple."

"Toph Beifong," Sokka said, giving Toph some of her own medicine, "Do you have a boyfriend?" Katara tried not to laugh too hard.

Toph grunted. "Look, all I'm gonna say is that even if I do miss Teo, that's not a reason for me to lose to Katara. It only gives us the same handicap."

Katara sat back against one of the crates. The binding on her forearm was loose. She unwrapped it and wrapped it again, thinking of her impending match with Zuko. What was happening between them was frustratingly undefined and there had hardly been an opportunity to define it.

She wasn't sure she could have trusted herself alone with Zuko now, though. Yesterday's flirting had continued into the evening, when she found herself sitting next to him by a campfire again. With blankets and sleeping rolls available, there was no need to share body heat, but they sat close anyway, and given who they were it was a wonder the sparks flying back and forth between them weren't visible.

The tension begged to be broken. She'd told Zuko she wouldn't call off the match, and she didn't want to. Something was awake inside her, and it made her whole body tingle. A good fight was exactly what she needed (and maybe what he needed also) to let go of the pressure. The problem was the end. The options seemed limited.

As she watched Zuko and Aang sparring, Katara's stomach felt even queasier. Their grins and smirks marked it as definite play. They had obviously worked out their earlier dispute, and she knew friendship meant a lot to both of them. What if something went wrong with her and Zuko? If they couldn't be friends anymore, would that hurt the amazing friendship Aang and Zuko had?

Suki leaned over and touched Katara's hand. "You care about them both a lot, don't you?" she asked.

"Yes," Katara said. "I do."

Sokka set down his crayon. "Katara, I'm pretty sure you're over-analyzing this. You need to relax."

"What she needs is to face her fears head-on," Toph said determinedly.

Katara groaned. "Toph-" she started, but Toph grinned and pounded her fist into the ground. A rumble of earth made a beeline to Zuko and Aang, knocking them both to the ground mid-bending.

"Hey, what was that for, Toph?" Aang shouted, rubbing his rump.

"Sorry Aang," Toph shouted back. "But we have a critical problem over here."

"Toph!" Katara hissed. "What are you doing?"

"What is it?" Aang asked, walking over. Zuko began to follow.

"It's Kitten," Toph said, sticking her thumb in Katara's direction while Katara paled and Zuko stopped. "She has something to work out with Sparky, but Baby's afraid to find out what it's like to get in it with the Fire Lord."

"I am not!" Katara cried, mortified.

"Prove it," Toph taunted. "If you aren't scared, get out there with him now!"

Zuko caught her eye, and there was a pause while Katara froze under the heat of his stare. Initially, it seemed as though there was uncertainty in his expression, but then his eyes narrowed and something unyielding came into them that made her think he was ready to cut through the tension as well.

She stood up, her heart skipping beats in her chest, and she walked as steadily as she could into the street. "Sorry Aang," she said, forcing the airbender to step aside. "Apparently I have something to prove."

She faced Zuko directly while Aang slipped back to the safety of the sidelines. Zuko examined his fingernails, stalling. "This rematch is long overdue," he said, and an unexpectedly sultry hint in his voice made her stomach tighten. He found her eyes again. Where there had been heat, there was fire now. Thrill ricocheted through her.

"I agree." She sized him up and shifted back her weight. "I hope you're up for it, because I'm not going to go easy on you, _Zuzu_."

A corner of his mouth lifted. "Play as hard as you want, _Kitty Kat_." He trained his eyes directly on her like she was prey and he planned to toy with her. "I've been looking forward to this."

"Then you've been looking forward to a dangerous game." Katara mentally tossed aside her fear of hurting Zuko, in favor of letting the buzz of energy coursing through her take over. She drew water from a rain barrel nearby and suspended it in the air.

A ring of flames blazed up around him. He gave her a soul-piercing look. "I'm in if you're in, Katara."

Katara licked her lips. "Bring it, Zuko." She slammed forward the wave of water. He jumped, landed in a side crouch and spun out the ring of fire at her.

She jumped, icing the street under their feet and darting past licks of fire. He forced her back with another kick. "I hear good guys don't do it for you," he taunted while she evaded the flames, a wolfish grin on his face.

She swept fire away with extended arms of water. "I don't see how that's any of your concern, Zuko. You're not a bad guy."

"Are you sure?" he teased, blasting more fire at her. "You and I both know I've struggled before. When I get desperate-"

She dodged again but stood up, tossing her hair behind her. "Oh yeah? How desperate are you, Zuko?" she teased back, unable to keep the smile from her lips.

His eyes traveled audaciously down her body, the overtly sexual nature of his gaze making her eyebrow arch up. "Pretty damn desperate." She had to roll to evade another aggressive arc of fire.

It took longer than it should have for her to recover, but she caught sight of a water pump nearby and forced the water out from the well below in a great gush, knocking him down. She got back up and quickly iced him to the ground, but it was getting harder to ignore the heat coming from her own belly. Then she found his eyes and pleasure curled along with heat as something there told her he was just as gone as she was. "You've forgotten your own weakness, Fire Lord."

He smirked, melting away the ice and rising. "What have I forgotten, _peasant_?"

"_Me_," she said coolly, not waiting to knock him off his feet again. He laughed as he got back up, shaking it off with an impressed smile. They circled each other.

Katara was distantly aware that Suki and Toph had climbed up onto the crates on the side of the street and were standing on them, heckling Zuko, while Sokka and Aang stood together, hollering insults at her.

Zuko tried to come forward. She iced the ground under his feet and bent a geyser of water at his chest. He slid back on his heels with a steady core, the ground sparking as the ice melted away at his feet. He bent fire at her and she used a powerful gush of water to divide it around her. Immediately, she had to dodge a trail of flames.

"You're mine, Waterbender," he said.

"I'll take my chances, Firebender," she said, lashing out with whips of water that he met with lines of fire. Then they faced each other, trading blows with their respective elements until the force blew them both back to the ground. Katara scrambled to her feet again while Zuko pushed himself up with his hands. She grinned cheekily at him, feeling strength pool inside her. He grinned back maliciously.

Fire leapt up, surrounding them, and he walked closer to her. She formed a circle of moving water and weaved it through the flames. Steam rose. Zuko came closer, one infuriatingly slow step at a time, bringing the fire in with him as he did. She wove the circle of water tighter. Then he was standing right in front of her and the heat she felt came directly from him, though their elements twisted around them both.

Their eyes locked. The fight transitioned into something heart-poundingly genuine.

He bit his lip. "Yesterday." His voice shook. "I thought – when you woke up – that you would push me away. Why didn't you?"

Katara almost faltered, but she pulled herself together, held his seeking gaze, and told him the truth:

"Because I didn't want you to go anywhere, and I wanted to stay."

The fire took on colors Katara had never seen in fire before. Zuko looked down to the ground and up again, his golden eyes sincere and maddeningly intense. "What do you want now?" he asked, so softly that no one else could have heard.

Katara bit her own lip, looked down to the ground herself and then up again to meet his eyes…

"Katara, Zuko, watch out!" Aang yelled. He hurled into them and knocked them both to the side of the street with his glider.

Katara looked up. The sky was dark – hadn't it been a clear day? Now there were angry, heavy storm clouds. Quicker than should have been possible, rain began falling. She looked out into the street. Aang was swinging his glider and using his bending, but she couldn't see what he was fighting. Where was everyone else?

"Aang!" Zuko yelled. "Get out of the street!"

A bolt of lightning crashed down and Aang darted out of the way, still fighting something unseen. The rain came down in sheets of water. Thunder roared and the sky lit up. Aang stayed out, fighting the invisible thing. "Can you bend the water away?" Zuko yelled to her above the noise of the sudden storm.

Katara shook her head. "Not all of it! It's too much! Can you direct the lightning away from Aang?" she yelled back.

"We'll have to get a lot closer!" Zuko shouted. Katara nodded and formed a bubble of water around them both, isolating them from the storm and pushing forward with Zuko behind her.

Aang was shouting. He rushed at something with a burst of fire, then turned and rammed a wall of earth in front of himself. He was engaged in battle, but from her vantage point, Katara couldn't see anything attacking.

"Aang!" Katara screamed. "Stop! There's nothing there!"

"Aang!" Zuko yelled. "Get away from there!"

A shaggy wet bison pulled in front of them. "Zuko! Katara!" Sokka shouted. He was at the reins while Suki sat in the saddle. "We've got Toph! Get on!"

Katara shook her head vigorously, ignoring them. "No!" she shouted. "We have to get Aang!"

She and Zuko trudged farther together, the winds and rain putting up a ferocious fight. The bubble didn't hold and Katara had to start pushing aside the water as it rained down on them like she was pushing aside heavy beaded curtains. The sky lit up in a sudden, terrifying flash and Zuko caught the lightning with his fingertips and redirected it.

Aang roared, jumped up, landed hard in front of Katara and Zuko and batted a great gust of wind forward away from them. "No!" he screamed to his invisible foe.

In an instant, the storm died down and Aang was on his knees like he was in great pain. Katara started to rush to him, but Zuko pulled her back. "I think something's wrong with Toph," he said, pointing her toward Appa, who had touched down farther behind them.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled down. "Toph's hurt! Get over here!" Katara's attention flashed to Appa's saddle. She could see Suki inside, bent over something. She could not see Toph.

"Go help Toph!" Aang yelled to Katara.

"She got hit!" Sokka shouted to them. "Hurry!"

"What hit her?" Katara yelled back. She began to run toward Appa, but the wind pushed her physically back toward Zuko and Aang. Zuko caught her, and they looked up together. The storm had picked back up and Appa seemed to be getting farther away. "What's happening?" Katara asked. "I thought it was over?"

"Oh no," Aang groaned, crouching down in pain. Appa yowled.

Katara tried to start back toward Appa, but Zuko stopped her. "No!" he said. "You won't make it!"

"I can't keep Appa calm!" Sokka yelled, struggling to control Appa.

"Just get out of here and find help, Sokka!" Zuko yelled. "We'll catch up as soon as we can!"

Katara turned to Aang again instead. He was bent down, balancing on the balls of his feet with his glider in one hand and his other arm wrapped around his head. She started to move forward – Zuko moved with her – but Aang bent the air and shoved them back.

"Aang!" Zuko said. "What are you doing? Let us help you! It's a stupid storm. It's just wind, water and a lot of lightning. "

"Zuko's right, Aang!" Katara said. "Those are our elements. There's no reason we can't handle this!"

Aang stood up and looked at them in panic. "You don't understand!" he said. The sky had turned grayish-green and the wind was swirling around them. "It's not just a bad storm! There's a dark spirit up there! I can see it! It's trying to destroy us!"

"It's trying to separate us, Aang! Grab my hand!" Katara yelled, gripping Zuko's hand and trying to get to Aang at the same time. They reached for him together.

"No!" Aang said, sweeping them back with another air strike that brought Katara crashing to the ground with Zuko. "Get out of here! Both of you! Find shelter! I can take this on my own!"

"Aang!" Katara yelled desperately. The sky was dark as night.

"Don't do this!" Zuko shouted. The rain was daggers of water. Katara leaned toward Aang. She felt static in the air. Zuko pulled her roughly to his chest, and lightning flashed so close her skin crawled.

Aang's arrows began to glow and he lifted into the air. He was fighting something, but what was it? Why couldn't she see it? Aang lifted higher into the air, and Katara felt the storm try to pull her away from Zuko too. He tightened his grip until she almost couldn't breathe.

"I have to help him!" she gasped.

"You can't reach him!" Zuko said.

"I have to!" she sobbed. "I'm the one who's supposed to help him!" Wind and water tore at them, mixed up with swirling pieces of the town itself.

Zuko's eyes were sympathetic, but his face was hard. "You can't. We can't. I'm sorry Katara." He dragged her forcibly behind a building and they ducked down, shielding themselves from crashing debris while the storm continued around them. Katara tried to look through the storm. Aang was barely visible in the sky. She couldn't see Appa. The only thing she was sure of was that Zuko was still right next to her.

Then in one last sweep of the storm, the wall they had been sheltered against fell around them. Katara heard Zuko yell her name. The world went dark.


	12. Chapter 11 - Ship

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Zuko had never been more grateful to be at the command of an entire navel and air force. Perks of being the Fire Lord. It also did not hurt that he was a skilled survivalist, or that he found a helpful family with a fast ostrich horse about a mile outside the deserted Earth Kingdom village. The storm came on them late in the morning, and Zuko managed to get Katara to a port city before dusk, where he was met by his own ship, his hand-selected crew and his best advisers.

Perks.

The minute he stepped back on his ship, Zuko felt like he'd returned home. All the resources he was accustomed to having were available again, and he immediately started organizing emergency measures and taking stock of the situation, putting his best officers and advisers on three extremely important tasks: (1) scour everywhere for signs of Aang; (2) send out rescue crews to every town within a hundred miles of the deserted Earth Kingdom village to recover the Avatar's bison and a group of injured passengers; and (3) take care of Katara.

Except he didn't exactly handle things in that order. Finding and protecting Aang was important, but sometime over the last week (or had it happened five years ago?) Katara had become a trump card. What was the point of anything if she wasn't a part of it? What would Aang say if Zuko found him but failed to save her? What would Sokka say? So when he boarded his ship, with Katara hanging limp and only semi-conscious in his arms, Zuko made a royal scene worthy of Azula. He demanded immediate medical care, refused to hand Katara off to anyone and carried her himself to the ship's quarters.

After that, Zuko jealously guarded Katara, stepping aside only for the nurses and to give brief instructions to his staff regarding their lost friends. Then he alternated between pacing her room and sitting anxiously by her bed for hours, holding her hand and whispering things he hadn't yet had the courage to say. If the ship lacked gossip before, they had plenty to talk about now.

It was before dawn the next morning when Katara finally opened her eyes and looked hazily up at him. "Zuko?" she asked, and he felt like he could breathe again. Her eyes rolled slowly from side to side.

"Hey," he said, running his thumb over the back of her hand. She tried to lift her head, but fell back with a soft whimper.

The nurse tapped his shoulder. "Lord Zuko, she needs more rest."

He frowned and brushed Katara's hair away from her face with his fingers. "Do you think you can sleep more?" he asked.

She blinked slowly, nodded slightly and shut her eyes. The nurse tapped him again. "You should try to get some rest too, sir."

Zuko allowed himself to be ushered out, but headed to his board room rather than his chambers. Yin, his amazing chief adviser, was already there, looking over a map of the Earth Kingdom.

"We'll have the entire force mobilized by first light, sir," Yin promised as Zuko came into the room. Zuko acknowledged Yin with a tired bob of his head and fell into his chair at the head of the table.

"Any word on the Avatar's bison yet?" Zuko asked wearily.

"No sir." Yin handed Zuko a cup of hot tea. "But several of our teams have been out all night. If they landed anywhere near the village you were at, we'll know today."

"The Avatar?"

Yin shook his head.

Zuko sat up and leaned over the map Yin was reviewing. "Tell me again how you got to me so fast?" The family that lent Zuko the ostrich horse had directed him to the port city, but then two of Zuko's own scouts had met him along the way. It had been a helpful surprise to find them. Zuko sent the scouts ahead, and by the time he arrived in the port city with Katara, a whole team had gathered to meet him. Yin was front and center. Zuko never even needed to find a hospital. Yin had already assembled a medical staff.

Yin began fumbling through an apology. "So sorry, sir." He paled. "We've been tracking the bison since you left, sir. I just thought…in case you needed anything…Lord Zuko, sir, my apologies. I know you didn't order it. Just a precaution…"

"Yin," Zuko said, deciding to save the man from himself. "Are you telling me you tracked me so that in case anything happened, you would be there to help?"

Yin hung his head feebly, like he was waiting for Zuko to dismiss him. "Yes, Lord Zuko."

Zuko looked tiredly at his adviser. Yin was the kind of man who had a lot of power but never put it on display. Zuko knew Yin's background. He had grown up in one of the western cities, and though his family wasn't part of the nobility, he had been accepted into one of the military academies for his notable firebending skills. He'd graduated at the top of his class and rose quickly through the ranks of the army. He was conservative and risk adverse, but the soldiers were extremely loyal to him. Zuko had discovered Yin during the Northern Water Crisis and liked him immediately. Uncle's good opinion of Yin solidified the deal.

"Yin," Zuko said. "Thank you."

"I'm so sorry, sir," Yin said emphatically. "It won't happen again."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at Yin. "You won't try to help me again? I find that hard to believe." Yin gulped and Zuko chuckled. "Yin, I'm not being facetious. Thank you. Your precautionary measures may have saved the life of someone who is very important to me. We're promoting you."

"To what, sir?" Yin asked, looking up with wide eyes. "I'm already your chief adviser."

"I don't know." Zuko waved his hand casually while Yin sank into a chair. "Senior chief adviser? High chief adviser? Friend?"

"I don't think that's a position, Lord Zuko," Yin said, still flustered.

Zuko smiled. Good, reliable, trustworthy, Yin. They were, he decided, going to be very good friends. A man could hardly lead an entire nation without support, and Zuko was starting to think maybe the responsibility for creating the friendships he needed was on him. "Guess it'll have to be unofficial."

Yin half-smiled back. "If you would count me as a friend, may I inquire as to Lady Katara's status?"

Zuko sighed. "They tell me she'll be awake in a few hours. I'm supposed to be getting rest."

Yin nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure she'll recover."

"Spirits, I hope so, Yin," Zuko said. "I really don't know what I'll do if…"

Yin gnawed on the inside of his mouth and tilted his head. "Perhaps you should think instead about how you're going to handle the publicity problem you'll have when she does recover."

"The publicity problem?"

"You haven't expressed more than fleeting interest in any woman since Lady Mai. Word is going to get out that you've expressed a rather strong interest in Lady Katara. It would be best if we control the news that spreads."

"What happens if we don't?" Zuko asked.

Yin furrowed his brow. "Lady Katara is an attractive woman. If you try to be conspicuous, the public might think your interest is, ah…" He paused. "…purely prurient."

Zuko choked on his tea. "Purely prurient?"

"It would obviously be preferable to demonstrate a legitimate courtship."

"Why can't I just date her like I would any other woman?"

Yin caught Zuko's eye and Zuko groaned, dropping his head onto the table. The answer was obvious: Katara _wasn't_ any other woman. Not to him. "Did you have to worry about publicity when you were courting your wife, Yin?" he asked.

"Of course not, Lord Zuko," Yin said. "I'm not the Fire Lord."

* * *

When Katara woke up again, a light hand was cooling her forehead with a cold cloth. Katara could hear the cloth being dipped into water and squeezed out before it was applied. She was lying in a soft feather bed, her head resting on pillows as fluffy as clouds and her body tucked in with linens and robed in something silky that caressed her skin. Something silky and red.

"Where am I?" she asked groggily.

"Oh thank goodness," a woman said. "You're awake." Katara opened her eyes. The woman had a gentle face and was wearing healer robes. They weren't the blue robes Katara was accustomed to. They were rusty red. Katara frowned, trying to understand what was going on. The woman who had spoken was whispering to someone. The voices were soothing and low. The lights were dim and the room felt dark. Was she rocking side to side? It made Katara want to close her eyes again.

The woman who had been nursing her pressed the cool, wet cloth to her forehead again. "The Fire Lord has had us watching over you every minute since you arrived, dear. He was frantic last night. You were badly injured and you lost a lot of blood. Are you in pain?"

Was she? The back of her head was heavy. She tried to lift it and her head swam. There were other sources of pain too. Her left shoulder and her collarbone. Her right leg. Was her ankle broken or just sprained? It was all a strange sensation. It had been so long since she'd had any injury she hadn't healed herself that she'd forgotten her body could hurt like this.

"Water, please?" Katara croaked.

"Katara?" Zuko appeared above her, taking the wet cloth from her nurse. Even better than water, Katara thought. He sat down in the nurse's chair and gently ran the cloth over her forehead himself. His hand was a soothing touch, cool even, and she said the thing that occurred to her:

"Zuko? I thought you were always hot."

Zuko's stern look fell and he laughed low. "I'm going to remind you that you said that someday soon." Then he looked over her again and the smile dropped. "You, Kitten, need to get in less trouble."

"Kitten…" Katara repeated, trying to sit up. Pain slammed through her. "Water," she moaned quietly. Zuko hummed like he was trying to figure something out. "Please, I need water," she repeated, "to heal."

A look dawned on his face. He turned to the nurses, who were getting ready to pour a cup of water. "She needs more that that. Prepare a bath for her."

"A bath, my Lord?" a nurse said. "With all due respect, sir, we shouldn't move her. She needs rest and time to heal."

Katara tried again to sit up, but Zuko saw. "No." He restrained her with a light hand at the top of her chest. "I'll help you get there." She sank back into the pillows, yielding while he turned once again to the nurses. "She is a healer," he explained patiently. "She uses water. She needs to be immersed in water."

"Oh, of course sir. I'm sorry! I didn't know," the nurse said, wringing her hands. "I've never met a true healer."

Zuko shook his head. "Don't apologize. Healers like Katara are very rare and you've taken good care of her. Now, would you please draw her a bath? Let me know when it's ready." He leaned down to Katara until his face was only inches from hers and spoke low: "Be good." He stroked her cheek lightly before tucking the linens around her. "Don't move until I get back."

Katara nodded drowsily and dozed off. When she woke, she was being lifted by Zuko from the fluffy bed. "Time to fix this," he said. She vaguely registered the feel of him sturdily holding her, but she was nauseous with pain and didn't have the strength even to put her arms around his neck. Her head fell against his chest while he cradled her.

The nurses still in the room looked on with worried, motherly faces. "Lord Zuko, are you sure you don't want us to handle this?" she heard someone ask.

She clutched the front of his robes as best as she could and his arms tightened securely around her. "No," he said, his voice coming out measured. "Thank you. I'll handle this."

He carried her through several rooms, following the nurses to a chamber where a large tub of water waited. He stopped in the middle of the room.

"Sir, perhaps we should help her in?" someone offered again.

The problem became clear to Katara then. It was inappropriate for the Fire Lord to help an injured woman out of her clothing and into a tub. Katara wasn't even sure what she was wearing under the silky dressing robe, and she felt embarrassed at the realization. He didn't hand her over to the nurses. "It's okay," she heard him murmur.

"Okay," she said softly, trusting him.

"Stay by the door, please, and be discrete," Zuko commanded the nursing staff. "Until she can speak for herself, I'll take care of her personally." Katara smiled weakly. Zuko. Always the honorable prince.

He set her down on a chair by the basin and began untying the sashes of her robe for her. It turned out she was wearing something like her normal wrappings underneath, but softer.

"See, just like swimming," he said quietly, sliding the soft fabric of the robe away from her body without so much as a hitch in his breath.

"I must look pretty bad," she said frailly.

His mouth turned into a thin smile, his hands stilling on her arms, and he leaned down over her. She felt his lips barely touch her forehead at her hairline. "You look like a brick wall tried to crush you," he said. "Are you ready for the water?"

She nodded at him and he lifted her into the tub. The water was lukewarm.

"Does it need to be warmer?" he asked anxiously. "They asked, but I told them not to warm it. I thought you would naturally work with a cooler medium. I can make it warmer if you want, though."

Katara shook her head. The water was perfect for healing. She could already feel her body mingling with the soothing power of the water. The nurses were fascinated. She could feel them watching, and she heard one of them let out a short little shriek when she started to slip her head under the surface. Zuko must have kept them away. No one bothered her. The water glowed around her and she felt the pain seeping away. When she came up for air, Zuko was still there, hovering anxiously. She wiped the water out of her eyes. The nurses stared.

"You've been taking care of me," she said to them, still tired but with a stronger voice. "Thank you." She dunked back under the water for a second round of healing. The pain on her body had mostly dulled, but the back of her head continued to ache.

When she surfaced again, Zuko handed her a towel for her face. "Better?" he asked, leaning with his forearms against the edge of the tub. She was better enough to notice his forearms were attractive.

"I think so," she said. She looked around, trying to assess the situation. "What happened? Where are we? Is this a hospital or some kind of spa? Where's everyone else?"

Zuko chewed on a corner of his lower lip.

"Zuko," Katara frowned. "Is this a gold-gilded tub?"

"Probably," he said. "We're sort of on my ship."

"You have a spa with a gold-gilded tub on your ship?" she asked.

"Actually, this is a private suite of rooms," he said. "I don't think all the tubs are like this. I, er, don't really know."

A nurse giggled quietly, but was hushed immediately when Katara looked over to her.

"We were in the Earth Kingdom village..." Her head began to hurt again and she leaned back into the water. "The storm…what happened?"

He shook his head. "It wasn't good, Katara."

"Toph," she remembered. "Toph was hurt. Did we help her?"

"It looked like Sokka got her out on Appa." Zuko fidgeted. "They were gone when the storm cleared, and I haven't had any word from them yet. Rescue crews are looking for them now."

"What happened to Aang?"

Zuko shut his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, Katara. I don't know yet. The storm lifted right after you got hurt, but it was just you and me left. I didn't have much time to look for Aang."

Katara's chest constricted. "Then Aang might have been injured too? And we just left him there?"

Zuko grimaced. "I don't think he was injured. I thought I saw him lifted away with the storm itself. But I couldn't just stay and look. You were…" He paused. "There was a lot of blood. You needed help right away. I sent people back to search for Aang."

His voice was raw with exhaustion and fear. He leaned with his elbows against the edge of the tub, rubbing his temples with his fingers. Katara breathed in at a realization. "You thought I might die."

"You _did_ nearly die."

Her throat constricted and she touched his arm. "I didn't." She traced circles lightly on his warm skin. "You were there. You saved me." She made a sound that was half-laugh and half-groan. "Again."

He watched her silently, and she noticed for the first time that his eyes were bloodshot and his face drawn.

"Zuko." Her fingers glided down his arm until she reached his hand. She gave it a light squeeze. "I think you need to get some rest yourself."

"I'm supposed to meet with my advisers for an update soon," he said, turning his hand over and lacing his fingers through hers. She hadn't missed the nearly imperceptible shiver that had seemed to be a reaction to her touch. Now he closed his eyes and let them stay closed a moment too long.

"Your meeting can wait."

"Aren't you worried about Aang?" Zuko asked, opening his eyes again and letting go of her hand.

A pulse of fear shot through her. She quelled it. "Yes," she admitted. "But Aang's the Avatar and sometimes he disappears into the spirit world. Anyway, you're an expert at finding him, so he'll either come back on his own or you'll track him down."

He dipped his hand in the water and splashed it gently toward her. "You're too much of an optimist."

"I'm exactly the right amount of optimist." She dipped lower into the tub and gave him a real smile. "Hey, would you mind warming the water now?"

He smiled back. "I think I can manage that."

* * *

Uncle joined them at their next port of call, where he had flown via air ship from his Earth Kingdom-based tea shop. Zuko was pleased to see him, and appreciative of the support. Uncle was abuzz with gossip, most of which related to Zuko.

"I thought you were not going to the North Pole for a date?" Uncle warmed his hands around a cup of tea. "But you've brought back a very pretty girl. What do you intend to do with her?"

Zuko rubbed his eyes. He had agreed to tea. He had agreed to play a game of pai sho to distract himself. He had not agreed to talk about Katara. "Don't let her hear you say that." He set his own cup of tea down and looked away. "We only ended up here because of the trouble we were in." Uncle nodded thoughtfully and set up the pai sho board.

After winning the third game in a row, Uncle sat back cheerfully, sipping his tea. "Is something bothering you, Lord Zuko? You seem to have a lot on your mind."

"Of course I do," Zuko said, agitated. "The Avatar's gone and his air bison flew off with Sokka, Suki and Toph."

"You are worried by the disappearance of your friends. That is to be expected."

Zuko started setting up the pai sho board for a fourth game.

Uncle leaned over the board. "But does your inability to concentrate also have something to do with a certain waterbender?"

Zuko almost tipped the board over accidentally.

Uncle chortled. "You know, Lord Zuko, I'm pretty good with the ladies." He winked conspiratorially. Zuko scowled and tried again to re-set the pai sho board. Uncle watched silently, grinning like a baboon cat. Zuko thought of ignoring him, but…

"Alright," he sighed at last. "If you were interested in a particular woman, what would you do about it?"

"It depends on what I was interested in her for," Uncle said, faking ignorance. "It would help if you could be more specific. Who is this woman?"

Zuko glared at Uncle. "You know who it is," he seethed, gritting his teeth. "And you know what I'm interested in her for."

Uncle smiled smugly, causing Zuko to redden. "Then what is your question, Lord Zuko?"

Zuko sprang up and started pacing around. "Well what should I do?!" he exclaimed. "You always tell me to think ahead, but with Katara I never know what to do next."

"Ahh," Uncle said. He took a long draw of his tea. "It is normal for a man to feel confusion around an attractive woman. But matters of love are different from matters of war. In war, planning is important. In love, you must learn to trust your heart."

Zuko stopped in his tracks and looked helplessly at his uncle. "My heart feels like it's being trampled by a herd of komodo rhinos," he said flatly.

Uncle hid his face behind his tea.

"Come on," Zuko begged, "I need advice. Is this normal? I never felt like this with Mai. What should I do? Get more rest? Drink a particular kind of tea?"

"Nephew," Uncle said slowly and seriously. "I am afraid this is likely to be a life-long condition."

"So what should I do?" Zuko asked impatiently.

"Forget about sleep or tea. What you need is…"

"Am I interrupting?" Zuko and Uncle turned to find Katara at the door. She was dressed in casual red robes. Her hair was loosely tied up. She came straight to Zuko, wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek into his shoulder. His heart raced unnaturally while his arms slid quite naturally around her.

"Katara." He held her tightly. "You're supposed to be resting."

"So are you." She leaned away and worry passed over her face as she looked up at him. She touched his forehead anxiously. "Zuko! You were hurt too!"

"It wasn't as bad as-"

But Katara had already drawn water from a nearby jug and pressed her fingertips to the wound across his head. The gash there, which he had barely thought about in comparison to her injuries, closed instantly at her touch.

"Tha-"

"Wait," Katara commanded, pressing her fingertips to a split in his lip. He stood still until she was done. In his memory, he was sixteen again and she was fourteen, telling him she had healing powers in their shared prison at Ba Sing Se. This time, he was going to make a very different choice.

"There," she said. "Better." She stepped swiftly away and went to greet his Uncle.

"Lady Katara," Uncle said, taking her hand and kissing it. "It is good to see you are well. Forgive an old man, but you are beautiful in red. I think it is your color."

Katara blushed and smiled at Uncle. Zuko should have paid attention to Iroh's lessons on women. Uncle walked her to the table with her hand in his and pulled out a high-backed chair for her.

"You do look better," Zuko told her, following behind her and Uncle. It was awkward, but she blushed again, and those little blushes made him want to keep going, so he said: "you look really pretty" and it made her blush even more, which was probably the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"I have good taste in tea, ladies and fashion." Uncle offered Katara a cup of hot tea. "You should wear red more often." He wagged his eyebrows. Zuko planted his face in his hands, but Katara just laughed.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were looking for a wife, General Iroh!" she said to Uncle playfully.

"Who says I'm not?" He laughed heartily.

Katara sipped her tea and looked at Zuko with eyes full off light. "I haven't said thank you yet," she said.

"For what?" he asked.

"Oh I don't know." She flipped her hand casually. "Bringing me here, taking care of me, saving my life."

Uncle leaned forward. "My dear, if you must be distressed, it is always wise to do so when there is someone powerful nearby who can call his entire navy to pick you up."

Katara laughed again. Zuko decided he loved when she laughed. "Yes. I will try only to become distressed when I'm with Zuko." Her comment, and the way she curled up in the chair, and her eyes shinning as she looked from Uncle to Zuko made him feel warmth curling up inside. He relaxed and watched her contentedly while she charmed his uncle.

She had also, apparently, already charmed the crew. The kitchen staff brought her chocolate truffles on a covered silver platter, courtesy of the head chef. Katara declared the truffles delicious and the man holding the platter – who Katara somehow knew by name – beamed, stepping away like he'd been kissed.

"What a nice surprise," Katara said. "I sent my complements back after lunch too. The kimodo chicken salad sandwich was great."

"How did you know his name?" Zuko asked.

Katara looked puzzled. "I asked."

They were later interrupted by a woman who wanted to know if Lady Katara wished for another warm herbal compress. Then one who wanted to know if she would like her linens changed, and would she prefer silks or cottons? Then someone came back from the kitchen to inquire as to the lady's preferences for fruit. Katara took it all in stride until a woman named Ting Ting popped in to inform Katara that they would be ready to dress her for dinner in the lady's chambers in an hour. Then Katara turned on him.

"Lord Zuko," she said, meeting his guilty glance with mixed touches of annoyance and confusion. "I'm afraid I am troubling your staff."

Ting Ting was startled. "No, Lady Katara! Lord Zuko requested a full lady's staff for you! We are so pleased to be at your service."

Katara raised her eyebrows at him, and he tried not to shrink back from the hint of fire in her gaze.

"I'm the Fire Lord," he responded, faking nonchalance. "I don't know what things a girl needs."

Ting Ting giggled. "Lady Katara, it truly is our pleasure."

She left after that and Uncle tried to help him. "Master Katara, please do not fret. Being hired to serve the Fire Lord is a very high honor and is considered a desirable position. There is no shame, and everyone gets four weeks of vacation each year!"

Katara slumped in her chair. "But General, I grew up a peasant. No one should have to wait on me."

Uncle was empathetic. "In the Fire Nation, powerful bending is highly regarded. You are known to be a master waterbender and a master healer. And anyway," Zuko's crafty uncle continued, "the staff and crew recognize you as worthy of being waited on. After all, the Fire Lord himself carried you onto the ship." He winked at Katara while Zuko cringed. "I hear he made quite a scene."

"Wait," Katara said, putting the pieces together. "Do they think I'm Zuko's girlfriend?"

Zuko's unlordly squirming was interrupted by a man he recognized as the palace tailor. The tailor must have arrived at one of the ports of call, as part of the lady's staff Zuko had requested. He was carrying the blue robes Katara had been wearing when they boarded the ship.

"I'm so sorry for the interruption, sir," the tailor said to Zuko. "But I simply cannot work with these." He held out the robes like they were made of garbage. They looked fine to Zuko.

"You can't work with them?" Katara asked dumbfounded, taking the robes herself.

The man gave Katara an imploring look. "They're torn!"

Katara looked at him like he was crazy. "I can fix these myself!"

The tailor's mouth opened into a shocked "o" of horror. "My Lady!" He snatched the blue robes back from Katara. "There is no need for that! I am always prepared for these kinds of emergencies. We have a beautiful selection of better options for you." Then he swept out of the room before Katara could tell him no, leaving her staring at him bewildered.

Katara turned and scowled at Zuko, who decided that he also loved when she was angry.

"Ha!" Uncle laughed. "I am not the only one who thinks red is your color!"

"No," Zuko said, trying to placate Katara with his best 'I'm innocent, really' look. "You're not."


	13. Chapter 12 - Official

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Katara was irritated. Her "staff" had escorted her back to her chambers after tea like she needed babysitting. Several members of the staff were also guards. Since when did she need guarding? They tried to wait on her. They asked in soft, polite voices: did she want a silkier dressing robe? Would she like her hair combed? Her feet rubbed? Something to eat? Under different circumstances, she might have welcomed this, but right now it only served to make her feel that the Fire Lord had ordered the staff to keep her distracted and comfortable. Like she needed to be kept out of the way. Her. Kept out of the way. By him. So she was just about done with that.

She tried to figure out how to dismiss the staff without offending them. Surely there was someone else on board who needed his feet scrubbed.

"Oh no, My Lady," Ting Ting said, "Lord Zuko commanded us to serve at your pleasure alone. We are here solely for you." Ting Ting had gray eyes and long dark hair plaited into a braid. She looked slightly older than Katara, but Katara couldn't read her eyes yet and found it difficult to believe she could be friends with this person, who seemed more like her keeper than a real person.

"Is there anywhere I'm allowed to go on my own?" Katara asked.

Ting Ting didn't understand the concept. "Lady Katara, you've been through a great ordeal. It would be terrible of us to leave you alone. But you seem distressed. Your suite includes a beautiful library. Would you like me to show you there?"

Katara stared at Ting Ting. "There's a whole library connected to my room?"

Ting Ting nodded, like she was hoping she'd just said something that would appease Katara. "And a dressing room, a parlor, a wash room…"

"Ting Ting," Katara interrupted. "Are all the guest suites like this?"

"Of course not," the girl said mildly. "These suites were designed for the Fire Lady or the Fire Princess."

"So I'm here because…"

Ting Ting hesitated. One of the other attendants – a woman named Asara – coughed to hide a laugh. She was curvier with a freckled face and brown eyes that glinted with mischief. She looked about Katara's age. When Katara looked pointedly at her, Asara filled in with: "Fire Lord Zuko specifically requested it, Lady Katara."

"Oh really?" Katara said, clenching her hands into fists at her sides. "So what, am I his pet?" 'Kitten' indeed, she thought to herself. What a stupid nickname.

Ting Ting and Asara exchanged unreadable glances. Katara felt bad for them. She was grateful for their help. She was grateful to Zuko for rescuing her. It was undoubtedly irrational to be so angry at him. But she walked back and forth anyway, her staff watching nervously while she muttered things like: "Who does he think he is?" and "He is NOT going to get away with this."

She justified her rage by telling herself it had been a very stressful twenty-four hours. Aang had disappeared. Sokka and Suki had been forced to flee on Appa with an injured Toph. She couldn't remember seeing their little lemur friend, Momo, at all. She had been hurt so badly that Zuko was now treating her like something fragile and breakable. She hated that more than anything.

Had it been cute how he had acted at tea? Telling her she was pretty? Watching her while she chatted with his uncle?

Yes.

Had it been endearing how protective of her he had been bringing her onto the ship? Worrying about making sure she had everything she needed?

Yes.

Could she still feel his lips on her forehead? And was it true that his question: "what do you want now?" was still rotating through her mind, like a chorus to a song of worry?

Yes. Yes. All yes.

But however clear it was that Zuko had changed his position with regard to their friendship, she wasn't going to be a glass statue on a pedestal. She didn't need more rest. She didn't need more help. She didn't need another cup of tea. She certainly didn't need to be sequestered in the Fire Lady's chambers. She needed to take action to help find Aang or Sokka. If he didn't understand that…

Tears threatened to choke her. She asked Ting Ting if she could have some time to herself.

"Of course! You only ever have to ask!" Ting Ting said, and she ushered out the staff, assuring Katara they would be there at a moment's notice if she needed them.

Katara lay down on the bed. Perhaps she did need more rest after all. She had lost a lot of blood. But she fell asleep fantasizing about storming the next meeting Zuko had with his staff and demanding to be involved.

* * *

Zuko retired early, hoping Katara wouldn't be mad because he was skipping dinner. But Aang was still missing. The others still hadn't turned up. He had barely slept the night before, and he was dead on his feet. If he wanted to come up with a plan, he was going to need to get in a few hours of sleep.

Thankfully, tonight he didn't need to worry about Katara. Or at least he didn't need to worry about her health. He thought of the vigil he'd kept over her. His fears of what would happen if she did not recover had been physical agony. What he had told her days before was true: in a choice between him and her, she always won. But this time he hadn't been able to prevent her from getting hurt, and the guilt of that racked him.

Anyway, by far the best option was him and her together. While he had watched over her, her admission: "I wanted to stay" had played in his mind over and over until he was no longer sure if she said it the way he remembered or if his memory was a glorification of a moment he was hanging on to too much. He had prayed quietly for more time with her, and now he was ready to admit something: he wanted her to stay. With him. Maybe forever. So that was that.

It was funny how the prospect of loss could so affect one's perspective on possible gain. Of all the things he needed, all the things he wanted, she was at the top of the list. He needed her. He wanted her. And he needed and wanted for her to need and want him too. How to accomplish that?

Uncle said love was different from war, but the way Zuko saw it, winning over Katara had always been a war. Had he wanted to capture the Avatar? He'd have to go through her. Did he want to be a different person in Ba Sing Se? He would have to explain himself to her. Was he ready to join Aang's group? She would be watching every move he made. Did he want her friendship? He'd have to redeem himself helping her find the man who killed her mother.

A dangerous covert operation. That was how Zuko had learned to think of his interactions with Katara.

No, then. Katara wasn't just going to let him love her. But then again, nothing worthwhile ever came easy to Zuko. So if he had to save her from being crushed by rocks five or six more times, take a few more lightning bolts and get the chef to bring her a dozen more silver platters of chocolate truffles, then that was what was about to happen. He thought of her glaring at him as she was escorted out after tea, and he smirked. He would also have to learn to dig his way out of the holes he would inevitably bury himself in with her. What had he done to deserve today's glare?

Zuko had a memory of Mai shouting at him sometime after the war for treating her like she was "delicate." His police force had been dealing with a terrorist threat from a disgruntled cabbage man in the southern region. The stand-off lasted over a week, and Zuko barely ate or slept the entire time. He avoided Mai. When the crisis was averted, Zuko was relieved, but Mai was furious. "You know I'm smarter than most of your stupid advisers," she had yelled. "But you shut me out whenever you need help!"

"Stuff like this is the worst part of what I live with as the Fire Lord! I'm trying not to drag you into it!" he remembered shouting back.

"This is exactly what you _should_ drag me into!" she'd said. "I'm not just here for the freakin' fruit tarts!"

After that, he tried to become better about letting Mai in when things were going poorly, but the truth was that Mai was the only part of his life that seemed easy back then. Maybe it was selfish, but he hadn't wanted to blur that line.

Katara was totally different. She'd met him head-on in the messy, hard part of his life. That's why asking her to help him take down Azula had been such an obvious choice. She was a fighter: against him, next to him, with him, for him. Zuko wondered what kind of fight they'd have if Katara ever thought he was trying not to drag _her_ into something.

All of which meant that even if he was still reeling emotionally from seeing her so badly injured, he couldn't expect her just to stay put and heal. She was obviously annoyed with him for assigning a team of people to her – and really, she'd have to adjust to that part of the gig – but he couldn't let her think it meant she was being shelved.

He penned out a quick note. Dangerous covert operation indeed, he thought. But as he dropped into bed to sleep, he couldn't help but think that dangerous had always looked good on Katara. Damn sexy, really.

* * *

Katara awoke at dawn, feeling more rested than she had the day before and somewhat mollified. The sunrise was visible from the windows. She cozied up in the cloud of pillows and blankets and savored the feel of the delicate cloth against her skin. In the warm morning light, the room was surprisingly bright and airy. She was alone, but she blushed thinking about the dream she'd woken up from, which had emphasized her memory of Zuko's hands disrobing her. In the dream, he'd been far less clinical than he had been in real life.

It was quiet in her room, but the sun was already getting higher. And she was on a Fire Nation ship. Correction: she was on the Fire Lord's _personal_ ship. Katara swung her feet over the edge of the bed. No doubt the Fire Lord himself was already up. Most of the ship was probably up too. She was missing things.

Katara found a pair of slippers and padded out into a small sunny sitting room. A tray of breads, sweet jams and fruit was waiting for her on a table. Her stomach rumbled just looking at it, and she realized she had slept through dinner the night before. She poured a cup of tea and found a note under the teapot that read: _"I made it myself – drink at least two cups slowly to restore your health. Uncle Iroh."_

Katara couldn't help but smile at the kindness. General Iroh – Uncle Iroh? – was someone she liked very much, not least of all because of Zuko's admiration for the man. She wondered if he approved of Zuko's decision to put her in a suite reserved for the royal family.

There was a whisper of a knock on the door. Katara's heart leapt into her throat. "Lady Katara?" a voice asked meekly. Ting Ting. Katara flinched, swallowing disappointment.

"Come in," she said.

Ting Ting entered cautiously and Katara felt guilty for her rampage the day before. "Good morning, Lady Katara," the girl said, bowing as she entered. "Did you rest well?"

"Very well, thank you," Katara said, bowing back. "Thank you for setting out breakfast for me."

Ting Ting pinked. "We weren't sure what you'd like. The chef would be happy to make you a hot breakfast if that would be your preference."

"No, no," Katara assured her. "This is lovely."

Ting Ting smiled. "Very good, my lady." She held out a scroll that Katara hadn't noticed. "It's a message from the Fire Lord," Ting Ting explained, handing the scroll over.

It was tied with red silk ribbon. Katara frowned apprehensively. Zuko had seemed perfectly comfortable coming to her suite himself the day before. Now he was communicating with her via messenger? She loosened the ribbon and unrolled the parchment. It said:

_"Katara – my advisers are meeting in the morning to discuss strategy in the ship's board room. Join me? Zuko."_

Katara read the note twice. So Zuko didn't expect her just to sit and look pretty. He was smarter than she'd given him credit for. Now, though, her stomach knotted at the thought of attending one of Zuko's meetings. What formalities did the Fire Lord and his advisers observe during their meetings? Was she going to make herself look foolish taking part? How was she supposed to act?

What was she supposed to _wear_?

"Lady Katara?" Ting Ting prodded. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Perhaps she had been wrong about her need for a full-service staff.

"Ting Ting," Katara said, plucking herself up. "Can you show me to the dressing room and find the tailor for me? I'm meeting with the Fire Lord and his advisers this morning. I need something to wear that will inspire confidence."

Ting Ting smiled. "With pleasure, Lady Katara," she said, and she swept out of the room, leaving Katara to finish her breakfast.

* * *

Dangerous. Sexy. Beautiful. She entered his board room with her shoulders back, her head up and her eyes flashing. The soft robes that had made Zuko want to cuddle her were gone and replaced with a sleek, stiff alternative that made her look powerful and ungiving. She looked directly at him when she entered, and he had the distinct impression that she had come ready to battle.

She and the attendants flanking her paused, waiting for the group to acknowledge her presence. He stood up, impressed.

The rest of his advisers, a group of six men including Yin and Uncle Iroh, were already at the table. Together, this group formed about a third of his regular counsel. Most of the men had just come in, but even those who had recently been seated stood again. They cleared their throats, puffed their chests and gave him awed looks. His mouth stretched into a closed smile.

"Lady Katara," he said formally, cursing himself mentally for using the silky, manipulative tone his father had often used, "thank you for joining us."

She lowered her eyes and bowed to him, a formal sign of respect. "It is my honor to be of service, Lord Zuko," she replied. The bow made him cringe, but he couldn't exactly break decorum and tell her he never _ever_ wanted her to bow to him again. Instead, he caught her gaze as she straighted and he bowed back respectfully to her, knowing his advisers would take note.

He shifted to a more natural tone: "Please, it's an honor and a pleasure to have you here." He gestured to the remaining place at the table, hyper-aware of the attention of their audience. The seat, which was directly across from his own, was normally unfilled.

It was a bold move, and she probably didn't even know it, though he detected a slight pause before she dismissed her attendants and took the empty seat. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Yin just barely nod in approval. Uncle gave Zuko a more obvious sideways glance with a twinkling eye, which Zuko returned with a look that was meant to read: "don't get me in trouble, old man!"

"There is good news to share," he announced, opening the meeting. "Yin, if you would provide the update, please?"

"Yes, sir," Yin said, unrolling a scroll. "A messenger hawk arrived with this last night. Shall I read it sir?"

Zuko thought twice. "Perhaps Lady Katara would like to read it?" Yin handed the scroll to Katara, who took it looking mildly uncomfortable. She began to read:

_"Zuko &amp; Katara – we are in the village of Mokitarme. Coordinates below. Found medical care for Toph and she is recovering. Momo with us. Send word back. Sokka &amp; Suki." _

"That _is_ good news," she said, relief on her face. She looked up and smiled, handing the scroll back to Yin. "It's _great_ news."

Her reaction made Zuko smile too. Yin had shown him the note first thing this morning, and he'd been extremely relieved to learn that Sokka, Suki and Toph were safe.

"Yes," Yin said. "Our crews will reach your brother today."

"Is there any word on the Avatar yet?" Katara asked.

Yin shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. But our search is fanning out in every direction from the Earth Kingdom village."

Katara frowned, her brow furrowing.

"Lady Katara," Yin asked. "Do you have additional suggestions?"

Her frown lengthened. "The storm seemed like something Aang…the Avatar…should have been able to handle, but he said it was a dark spirit. If he was right and it took him somewhere, he may not be anywhere near the village."

One of Zuko's other advisers spoke up. "Lady Katara, you know the Avatar better than anyone. Do you question whether it was a dark spirit?"

Katara was close-lipped with her hands folded together in front of her face. Aang's bending problems were something only he and she knew about. Zuko leaned back in his chair as she caught his eye, and a silent conversation passed between them. She nodded at him slightly and he nodded back to confirm.

Zuko began to explain. "The Avatar was experiencing trouble with his bending." They filled the group in with the relevant details.

Yin tapped his fingers together the whole time Zuko and Katara talked, and after he summarized. "So you tested for the problem three times, but the Avatar himself only clearly experienced the bending problems once, when he was teamed with Master Beifong and pitted against Lord Zuko and Lady Katara."

"That's correct," Zuko said, trying not to give away that he was secretly distracted by hearing his name with Katara's like that.

Yin chewed on the inside of his mouth. "Lord Zuko, you and Lady Katara have worked together before. Perhaps you simply fight better as a team than the Avatar was able to with Master Beifong."

Zuko glanced at Katara again. She was shaking her head. He deferred to her. "The Avatar has worked with Master Beifong many times before," Katara said. "They fight well as a team."

"But the Avatar was not the only person to have trouble," Uncle noted. "Lady Katara, can you tell us again how you felt when you lost your bending during the second test?"

Katara breathed out audibly. "Yes." She pulled herself up in her seat. "It occurred when Lord Zuko and the Avatar teamed up against me. I couldn't bend and it felt like my energy was drained."

One of Zuko's older advisers coughed. Zuko looked scathingly at him. "I'm sorry," the man said sheepishly. "But perhaps…" He looked at Katara.

She was fazed. "You think I overestimated my own abilities?"

"I doubt that, Katara," Zuko scoffed, earning raised eyebrows from his advisers for the break in decorum. "You're as strong a bender as I am, and only you outfought Toph in the one-on-ones."

Katara pinched her eyebrows together. "No," she argued, earning even higher eyebrows from his advisers, most of whom would never have dared to say "no" to the Fire Lord about anything. Zuko didn't care. He wanted to know what she thought. Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice the looks she was getting. She went on. "That was the bending problems, I'm sure."

Zuko considered that possibility and rejected it. "If that was right, Toph should have had the same trouble with Aang or at least with me, but she beat _us_ both up. Honestly, I'm going to be sore for days from that fight."

Katara huffed and shook her head. "You were barely trying, Zuko! What were you going to do? Burn her feet? Shoot her with _lightning_?"

"Well I wasn't _trying _to let her hit me," he retorted, all earlier thoughts of decorum in front of an audience entirely gone. "But I'm all black and blue, and she barely touched _you_. You practically had to pick her up out of the mud when you were done."

"Oh, _please_, Zuko," Katara said, exasperation in her voice. "I had more to work with than you did." She leaned back tiredly. "And I'll take a look at your bruises later," she added, waving her hand casually through the air as if to dismiss that problem entirely.

There was a pause in the flow of the conversation while he sat back and shut his mouth. She blinked. Uncle started to laugh. Yin began coughing into his teacup. Katara's cheeks flushed and all at once it was all Zuko could do to struggle not to laugh himself.

"So helpful to have a healer on board, isn't it?" Uncle asked, and Zuko wanted then to clock his uncle for implying that Katara was willing to look at the bruises of every man on the whole ship. He glared at Uncle, who grinned happily back.

Yin scratched his head and cleared his throat. "So, um, as to the bending trouble, it appears there was no pattern."

"It is a mystery," Uncle commented. "Lord Zuko, how did you feel when you were sparring with Lady Katara directly before the storm? Do you remember noticing any change?"

The question felt personal. Katara didn't meet his eyes. Zuko sat up straight in an effort to regain his composure. "No. No difference from when we played on the same team. The match was a draw."

"No difference?" Uncle laughed jovially. "How interesting. Especially since you told us earlier you both felt more powerful when you were working as teammates!"

Katara continued to avoid looking at him. "Can we just focus on the Avatar?" Zuko asked irritably. He rubbed his temple. "Yin, if there's any word, I want it reported up to me immediately."

"Yes sir," Yin said.

"And if anyone learns of anything that could be helpful related to the issues we've discussed today, I want that reported too. Am I clear?"

His advisers nodded.

"Good. Then we're done for now." He stood up. "The meeting is dismissed." Katara stood up with the rest of his advisers. She looked upset. Something had gone wrong. He tried to get to her, but Uncle was standing in his way.

"Lord Zuko!" Uncle said, his tone still cheery. Zuko watched Katara slip out of the room from the corner of his eye. "We should celebrate today's good news. Perhaps with a nice dinner? I believe it is music night, and the crew would appreciate it."

Zuko growled at his uncle, who turned to follow his gaze to the empty door frame. "Ahh," Uncle said. "She's a magnificent addition at a counsel meeting, isn't she?"

Yin clapped him on the back. "Publicity problem," he said, grinning now that she was out of sight.

"I know." Still, the sight of Katara fleeing his board room was burning behind Zuko eyes. "If I haven't already messed things up."

Yin laughed with his uncle at Zuko's expense.

* * *

Katara wandered alone to one of the decks that overlooked the water. She leaned against the railing and let the spray of seawater soothe her while she tried to shake the meeting from her shoulders.

Zuko had done everything right. He'd treated her like he trusted her and valued her opinion. He'd never conveyed that he thought she was weak – he'd done just the opposite. That was what she wanted, wasn't it? To be treated like a woman who could think and fight?

The pang in her heart told her she wanted more – much more – and the problem was that she'd just had a glimpse of Zuko in his official capacity and she wasn't sure she fit into that show. Following formalities was difficult, and when he'd dropped the formalities, it was only long enough for her to say something stupid. Her cheeks burned thinking about how he'd glared. He was the Fire Lord. He could say whatever he wanted during his meeting. She would have to stick to the act. What would he be thinking now? That she was presumptuous? Inappropriate?

She felt both shamed and hurt. Her comment had been innocent. It was hardly the most suggestive thing either of them had purposely said or done over the last few days. But he had reacted so seriously. Why? Had she misinterpreted? Was she overreacting? It was just a dumb meeting, wasn't it?

She licked the salt from her lips. She could hear Sokka's voice: "This is exactly what a woman does! One minute she wants you to treat her like a warrior. The next minute she's a girl again!" Katara didn't think she was one or the other, though. Water was her essence. That made her a fighter, and it also made her soft, nurturing, intuitive, and feminine. It was her nature to do and say what she _felt_, not what she _thought_. How was she supposed to fit into a world that was hard, dominating, logical and masculine?

Zuko, on the other hand, embodied Fire, and she _was_ attracted to it. All his romantic gestures made her want to melt like chocolate in the sun. She didn't want any of that to stop, but truthfully it was the way he commanded power that made her want to fight for him. It was also what made him sexy as hell. She didn't want that to stop either.

Katara covered her hands with her face. Great. Basically she wanted him to act like a professional Fire Lord (was that a thing?) at the same time he was melting her into gooey sweetness with…what…flirting? During his meeting with his advisers? Katara groaned out loud. She had officially lost it.

"Hey."

Katara spun like a top. He was right there behind her and she hadn't even heard him approach. Her mouth gapped stupidly open. "Zu-" she started to say, but he was still wearing royal attire, she kept thinking of that glare, and her tongue got tangled in her mouth. "_Lord_ Zuko," she corrected.

He gave her a weird look. "Okay _Lady_ Katara. Are you alright?" He stepped toward her and she stepped back defensively before she could stop herself. "I'll take that as a no," he said calmly, and she only felt worse.

He waited. She looked blankly at him. Spirits knew she wasn't about to ask if he was mad at her for the foolish things she'd said in his meeting. If she did she might start crying, and she hated – _hated_ – the idea of looking so incredibly weak in front of Zuko again.

He swallowed visibly and nodded like he was deciding something. "Alright, Katara." His voice took on an appeasing quality, as if she were an animal about to attack. "Obviously something happened at the meeting. Did I do something wrong? I was glad you were there."

She met his eyes again, and he bobbed his head like they were getting somewhere. "Okay, let's start with the titles. It's stupid, right?" His face held an eager, approval-seeking look. It was almost _cute_. "We sort of had to do it for the first meeting, but only because I want my advisers to respect you."

She was too stunned to talk. He hit his forehead with his hand. "The bowing," he rambled. "I forgot. I'm so sorry. You don't have to bow to me. Screw tradition with that." He wiped his hands on his robes like _he_ was nervous. "And Katara, you know it would _kill_ me if you started calling me _Lord Zuko_ all the time, righ-"

"You're _sorry_?" she spluttered, interrupting him. "_I'm_ sorry."

"_You're_ sorry?" he asked. "For what?"

She grimaced. "The bruise comment? As if you need to give anyone one more reason to think I'm your girlfriend. Who can't keep her mouth shut at your meetings."

Zuko laughed. "I wouldn't ever want you to keep your mouth shut at my meetings." He grinned mischievously. "And the bruise comment was hilarious. I almost lost it. Spirits, Katara, I thought Yin was going to lose it, and he's the model of good behavior."

She stared at him and he reached out to touch her shoulder, that adorable smile still on his face. "I hope the offer still stands, by the way," he said. "I wouldn't turn down the help."

And there was the melting again, and it was really too much because she had thought he was angry and now there was something warm reaching up through her body and down from where his hand was touching her, and how had she let this happen? How had her enemy become her friend? How had her friend turned into someone her heart ached for?

She felt like a dam had just broken. She had been completely wrong. His eyes were gorgeous, and they were smitten, and she would have to remember that Zuko never quite got his messages across the first time. He wasn't good with communication, but he did challenge her, push her, strengthen her, support her and make her feel safe. And for all that she wanted to turn his world upside down.

She found herself blinking rapidly at him while her eyes cleared. She had been the one who hadn't responded when he'd said: "What do you want now?" She was the one staring like a star-struck child while he talked, his face hopeful but tense. She'd never given him an answer and she had the feeling he was still waiting. How long _would_ he wait for a clear answer before he let her fall back into the role of good friend?

"The crew needs some fun. Uncle's making plans for a formal dinner tonight," Zuko was saying. "If you sit by me, I'll give you the dirt on everyone, and I promise I won't call you Lady Katara all night." He lifted his hand to the back of his neck anxiously. "Everyone's going to think you're my girlfriend." His eyes glinted in the light. "But if you don't sit by me, they'll think we broke up."

Was he blatantly flirting or asking her out on a date or both? She laughed. Now he was the one blinking.

"Well, we wouldn't want that," she answered coyly. Because she had feminine wiles to take advantage of, and she liked that goofy grin, and Uncle Iroh – tricky man – was planning an evening celebration, and Zuko – poor boy – had bruises that needed healing before dinner.

And there were just so _many_ opportunities for a clear answer.


	14. Chapter 13 - Romance

**Author's Notes:**

I have a theory that the creators of ATLA endorse fluff. Need proof? Check out these lines from the most shippable boys in the ATLA series.

_From The Boiling Rock:_

Sokka: "Pretty clouds."

Zuko: "Yeah…fluffy."

(Whistling.)

Here's to fluff!

**Disclaimer:** ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Katara felt the change in the space between them. What was there now was giddy, pleasant and breathtakingly terrifying. She agreed to help Zuko with his post-bending tournament injuries and suggested the sick bay for healing.

"The sick bay?" Zuko complained, pouting like a child. "That's a terrible idea."

"The sick bay is a semi-private, yet appropriate place for me to heal your injuries," she decreed.

"The sick bay is a very public place for me to catch a nasty disease." Zuko gave her a sly look that came close to betraying true motivations. "No way. The Fire Lord can't get sick. You can't work on me in the sick bay."

But she wasn't about to take him to her suite. Or his. He suggested they go back to the board room. It would probably be abandoned, he said, and she felt sneaky, but not enough not to agree.

The bruises bothering Zuko were from Toph hitting him squarely across the chest with large spires of rock during their bending match two days ago. In the board room, Katara made him sit on the table itself so she could get a better look, and she was clinical about examining him – the way he had been the day before about helping her out of that silky dressing robe. She clucked at the chain of dark purple stains splattered over him.

"Zuko," she admonished, pushing his robe to the side at his shoulder to see how far one particularly nasty mark extended. "Why didn't you tell me about this yesterday?"

"Because you looked worse?"

She frowned. "Why didn't you stop your fight with Toph if it was getting this bad?"

"Pride?"

"I think you're injury prone," she said, beginning the healing.

"I think you're extremely talented," he said, closing his eyes and sighing low. He opened his eyes again with an impish look on his face that almost made her lose her composure. "And that I should try to have at least one healer around all the time. Not sure where I'm going to find one, though."

"North Pole," she said with a straight face. "Maybe one of the aunties. The older ones hate the cold." He laughed under his breath and let her continue her work in silence, while he watched with an expression that made her insides churn. She bit down on her tongue, praying to the spirits to grant her patience.

When she was done, she took her hands away and waved the water back into a bowl. She was standing partly to Zuko's side, her hip just grazing the outside of his right thigh. His robe was loose and untied, and she contemplated pulling it back together for him. Then his fingers circled her wrist and they looked down together, as if he had surprised both of them. A long second came and went. Slowly, he began to stroke the tender skin of the inside of her wrist with his thumb.

She held her breath. A dizzying rush traveled through her. Her gaze shifted back to his face. The door to the board room swung open. She and Zuko both froze.

"Yin," Zuko said, shutting his eyes briefly.

Katara turned her head. Yin was a statue in the doorway, carrying an armful of long scrolls. "Lord Zuko," Yin said, his voice politely strained. "Lady Katara."

Zuko squeezed her wrist lightly and then let go, giving Katara a bemused look. "I suppose this means there's work to be done?"

"Yes, Lord Zuko," Yin said feebly. "I procured a set of maps." He looked at them, his eyes wide and apologetic, but Katara was enjoying the delicious buzz of anticipation so she just shrugged and smiled.

Zuko began tying up his robes. "Thanks for helping me," he said to her. "Do you want to stay and look at the maps with me?" She bit her lip. "Or maybe join me for tea later?"

She had other plans in mind. "I think I'll keep myself busy for a while," she said.

Hurt flashed in his eyes, and that wouldn't do. She leaned forward, kissed his cheek quickly, and darted back. "I'll see you at dinner, okay?" she asked, and she left Zuko dazed in his board room, Yin half-smiling at her on her way out.

Katara returned to her suite. Ting Ting was waiting, and this time, Katara was glad to see her. She had a job for her staff.

* * *

Being the Fire Lord was a job that came with a lot of pressure. Most of the time, Zuko thought of his role as a responsibility, not a pleasure. But right now? Right now he was on his ship – an extravagant thing that had been commissioned specially for him. He was at the command of an extremely willing crew that was salivating for drama. And there was a girl on board who needed to be kissed. So it was time to take advantage of some of his power in the best possible way, right?

Anyway, after the healing session Zuko couldn't think about anything _but_ Katara. Yin declared the effort to work pointless and – to Zuko's mortification – called his advisers back together to "strategize" about romance.

"I really don't understand why you all have to be involved," Zuko said, slouching lazily in his chair.

"With all due respect, Lord Zuko," Yin said, "a royal courtship must be handled delicately." But a bottle of scotch was uncorked and his advisers were drinking liberally.

Zuko groaned. "Katara would kill me if she knew about this."

His advisers chuckled. They were enjoying this too much.

"I understand from one of our informants that Lady Katara is holding a meeting something like this of her own, Lord Zuko," one of them piped up.

Zuko glared at Yin. "We have 'informants'? I thought this was courtship, not espionage!"

"He only knows because he's sleeping with one of the women on Lady Katara's staff," another of the advisers chortled.

The accused hiccuped. Not exactly honorable, but entertaining at least. She was strategizing too? Curiosity got the best of him. "Um, does anyone know what's going on in her meeting?"

The whole group laughed again. Uncle laughed so hard, Zuko thought he might explode.

"A lady loves to be romanced!" Uncle said, when the laughter died down long enough for Zuko to ask for his advice. "Dinner and dancing under the stars would be best. The band will play their most stirring pieces." He got up and started dancing around. "They know every song from Love Amongst the Dragons. The chef will prepare a romantic meal. He's been daydreaming about a dessert with a flammable sugar crust! And at midnight – fireworks!" He said that last part with his palms spread into jazzhands.

"Uncle," Zuko said. "I'm the one trying to win over the girl, and I think I'd like a quieter end to the night."

Uncle glowed at him. "A very good choice, nephew. We'll skip the fireworks."

But dinner and dancing stayed. There were nearly a hundred people on board the ship in various roles, and the whole ship was abuzz over the ad hoc event. It would take place on the ship's upper deck, where they would be able to see the stars come out over dinner as the evening faded into night. Very romantic. Exactly, Zuko thought, as he arranged it all, what he needed to correct for whatever had gone wrong this morning.

Exactly what he needed to continue what would have happened if Yin – curse him! – hadn't walked in on him and Katara in the board room.

* * *

The staff lined up in the front room of her suite – an area Katara had nicknamed "the waiting room" in her head. Ting Ting wrung her hands nervously. The tailor, who Katara had learned was named Pin, looked skeptically at her. The girl named Asara clasped her hands together silently. Katara stood in front of the small group feeling like a general addressing her army.

"As you know," she told them, "tonight we will be celebrating the good news that my brother, his fiancé, and my old friend, Master Toph Beifong, are safe and recovering in the Earth Kingdom."

Heads bobbed polite acknowledgment at her. Katara began to pace, nervous energy building up inside her. Was this how Zuko felt addressing his men? The status she had picked up on board the ship hung awkwardly on her.

She continued. "This being my last evening on the ship, I'd like to enjoy the celebration. I'd also like to…" She paused, thinking of how to put her goal delicately. "…I'd like to make this a memorable evening."

She stopped to check for reactions. Ting Ting was wringing her hands more vigorously than before. The tailor looked confused.

Katara sighed. They didn't understand.

"What I mean is that I'd really appreciate your help getting ready."

Ting Ting's eyes began to widen like someone had just handed her a really big slice of cake. Asara started clapping her hands silently and hopping from foot to foot. Even Pin appeared to be on the verge of happiness.

"Do we understand that you will allow us to help you dress and prepare for dinner tonight?" Ting Ting asked hopefully, a smile growing out on her face from ear-to-ear. Katara closed her eyes. Was this a bad idea? Probably. But it was probably also her last time with her staff, and she did have a rather singular goal that she knew they could help her with. Might as well let them have their fun this one time.

Now how could she make sure they truly understood what she wanted? How would Zuko have done this? How would General Iroh have done it? Hell, what would Princess Azula have said?

"Ting Ting," Katara said, "let me make this clear: I need help. I want to look so hot that the Fire Lord has to ask for a glass of water. I'd like your expertise in accomplishing that goal."

Ting Ting's face split into a grin. "Thank you spirits!" Pin the Tailor exclaimed. "We've got a live one!"

The entire staff came to life. Quick as a flash, Katara's staff had her stripped down to a dressing robe, and Ting Ting began whisking her through the suite to the room with the gold-gilded tub.

"You must excuse our excitement," Ting Ting said, warming the water (how had Katara not known Ting Ting was a firebender?). "We were beginning to believe the Fire Lord would never find a suitable match. But an alliance with the Water Tribes, especially someone like you, is ideal."

Katara let out a short laugh. "You think this is an alliance?"

Ting Ting giggled along with several members of the staff, who had started scrubbing Katara up and down with something that felt like wet sand. Asara winked. Katara liked that girl.

"We think it's something a little more exciting than a political alliance," Asara said. "Like a secret affair."

"It wouldn't be very secret if everyone knew about it, would it?" Katara asked, allowing someone to raise her arm and someone else to lift her hair. The girls around her giggled again. So apparently it would still have been pretty exciting.

It was strange to be taken care of like this. Scrubbing. Bathing. Hair combing. Pedicures. A horrible ritual involving hot wax. (Seriously? Only in the Fire Nation.) Creams and oils everywhere. It took hours, and when it was all over, she was taken to a dressing room with wall-to-wall mirrors, where Pin was waiting with several options. He had originally told her he had a "small selection" of robes that would suit her. Apparently "small" was synonymous with "hundreds" in the Fire Nation, and by "suit you" Pin meant he was going to tailor the robes to her, right then and there.

Still, it was hard not to like Pin while he worked. He eyed her like she was a blank canvas and muttered things like "masterpiece" and "perfection" while he tucked and pinned and turned her around. He had impeccable taste.

When Katara was dressed, she found herself in a fitting silk dress that dropped from her collarbone, fell just to the floor and swept behind her as she walked. The silk was patterned with fire lilies and the look was completed with dainty red shoes and a beautiful silk fan. Her hair billowed out around her shoulders in a style Asara told her was "all the fire rage" (though Katara found it disturbing that there was a firebender on her staff that specialized in hair styling, accomplished using combs, brushes, fans and fire).

"Is this too formal for dinner tonight?" Katara asked, watching herself in the mirror as Pin made his last adjustments.

"Nonsense," Pin said. "Word has spread that the chef is preparing a five-course meal. It's perfect."

"And it matches what Lord Zuko sent over exactly," Ting Ting said.

"What?" Katara asked, surprised. "What did he send over?"

Pin smiled at her in the mirror – really, he was pleasant when he was happy – and lifted something from his pocket. "This," he said, showing her a gold and ruby necklace that sparkled in the light. She lifted her hair and allowed Pin to clasp it around her neck while Ting Ting and Asara watched. Katara felt the delicate jewelry absently.

"Where did he get this from?" she asked, more to herself than to them. By the looks of it, she wasn't the only person on board this ship that was trying to accomplish something.

Asara, Ting Ting and Pin all grinned at her, like this was one secret they weren't going to tell.

"It's beautiful on you, Lady Katara," Ting Ting said. "You're ready for dinner, I think."

"I think he's going to need more than a glass of water!" Asara said.

The staff assembled to escort her to dinner. The group was larger than it had been earlier. It looked like there were more guards. Ting Ting started arranging people around Katara in a procession.

"Ting Ting," Katara asked, "Why are there more people?"

Ting Ting smiled slyly at her. "We had a lot of volunteers," she said. "And we want to make sure you make a stunning entrance."

* * *

The band was warming up, the people were flooding in and Zuko was noticing paper lanterns strung up everywhere and candles lit on the tables. He should have been excited, but instead a sick sense of fear was eating him up inside. Was this an over-correction? Would Katara think it was a boyish fantasy? A lavish waste? Too intimidating? Not enough? He had purposely chosen a sleeker, less armored version of his formal royal robes to wear. He had purposely made sure that most, but not all, of the guests would show up before she did. He had purposely sent her the gold ruby necklace because it was pretty and he wanted to see what it would look like on her and that was the kind of thing someone with the title "Fire Lord" ought to be able to do.

Hey, did there have to be more of a connection than that?

But was it too much? Had he terrified her? Was the staff he'd hired terrifying her? Who knew what they had been doing with her for the last several hours. He'd heard nothing from her since the morning. Was she okay? Had she jumped ship?

He imagined Katara fleeing on a self-made iceberg, the Fire Nation flag on his ship fading in the distance. Oh hell. What had he been thinking?

"Ahh, there she is," Uncle said.

Zuko turned to look. Katara entered with an entourage of staff around her. At first, he could barely see her, then four guards in the front parted around her in a perfect, synchronized move, and it was like the whole crowd stopped to stare.

She was stunning. And yeah. Red was her color. Forget blue. Who cared about blue? The only blue he wanted to see was the blue in her eyes, which met his from all the way across the deck. Did a shadow of fear cross her face? Was it his own fear reflecting back at him? It didn't matter. Whatever fear she might have had was gone in an instant, and everything about her read freedom, passion and strength. She looked around at the lanterns rocking restlessly with the ship and the light glowed in her eyes. She lifted her hands slightly to her sides like she was getting ready to conduct the band. The ocean stilled at her command instead. The musicians stopped. A chorus of hushed "oh's" sang in the breeze at her mastery of the element. Katara smiled, and it occurred to him that he wasn't the only one looking for a show tonight. It would be best not to disappoint.

Zuko walked purposefully toward her, ignoring the sets of eyes that followed him. When he reached her, he held out his palm and she gave him her hand. He kissed it, holding her knuckles to his lips a fraction of a second longer than was strictly polite. Then he said "you are beautiful" and she patiently and confidently let him hold her hand and drink her in with his eyes like he was appraising art. He took in every silk-draped curve. Was he being shallow? Was she enjoying this? Were her eyes more alive in the firelight than he had ever seen them? She took his arm. He looked pointedly at Uncle, who elbowed the lead string player, and grinned back at Zuko when the music started up again.

"Welcome to the world of royalty," Zuko said, just loud enough for her to hear as he walked her to his table. "Where a guy can't even take a girl to dinner without an audience."

"Is this a date?" Katara asked lightly.

"It's something along those lines," Zuko answered, lifting his free hand and bending the fire in the lanterns so that the flames turned all at once into a show of colors. The crowd oohed and ahhed at the display, a few applauding. Katara's look of wonder made him want to do it a several more times. She gave him a sideways glance.

"I guess we've cleared up that confusion," she said, and they both laughed and they were still friends. Except it was all new too, because he was resting his arm on the back of her chair like she was his. She was touching him when she wanted his attention and extending the touch like he was hers. He was leaning over to whisper jokes in her ear, so close he could smell the scent of flowers on her skin. She was teasing him for not wanting to try the oysters and lighting up when Uncle told stories about him as a child, and he was indulging her because he wanted so badly to see her smile.

Later, the chef came out and made his own presentation of setting a custard on fire. Zuko felt Katara reach for his hand in excitement and he reached back, and they both hung on, and he wished he could make everyone disappear because it was all he could do not to really kiss her. Right there. In front of everyone. For the first time.

* * *

The wine was going to her head, or maybe the exhaustion of the last few days, because with the stars shinning in the skies and the strung lanterns giving off colors that ordinary fire didn't have and people chattering happily, Katara started to notice a light haze spreading over her vision. Then there was him, holding her hand like it was the kind of thing they always did, their fingers woven together now, and them both doing everything possible to inch closer and closer to each other, like they were powerless against a magical, magnetic attraction.

Then dinner drew to an end and the tables were cleared. Zuko stood up, and heavy disappointment settled over Katara as she thought what a terrible idea it would be for the evening to end so early. She repressed a sigh, not wanting to give in to her sudden change in mood.

"Would you like to dance?" Zuko asked. There was anticipation in his eyes, along with hope, fear, and other things she tucked away for later. Her mood lifted like a change in the wind, and she met his anticipation with her own.

"You dance?" she said.

"Every prince is taught how to dance. The Fire Lord must be a man of many talents."

She let him lead her to a clearing near the band. Some of the diners had left, while others looked on at them, and she could hear the soft brush of whispers follow as they passed. He held one of her hands and put his other hand on the small of back. She lifted her free hand to his shoulder. "Is this okay?" Zuko asked, surprising her with sudden hesitance. He had seemed so sure of himself all night. "Because if it's not…"

"This is nice," she confirmed, letting her hips sway gently to the music as they started stepping together in time to it. So coordinated. So natural. So in-sync. Just like everything was with Zuko. How it had been from the instant she had learned to trust him. "But it's not very platonic, you think?" she murmured.

He spun her around slowly and caught her at the waist, returning her closely to him. "Mmm," he hummed back in her ear. "Not very." He pulled her in, so their bodies met and molded together at more points than one.

"Zuko," she said. "Are you afraid of this?"

He dipped her down and pulled her back up. "Yes," he said. "Very. Are you?"

She closed her eyes and leaned into his shoulder. "Yes," she said. "Also very."

"I promise never to hurt you, Katara."

She relaxed. "Me too." She looked up at him. They were so close now she thought she could feel his heart beat in his chest. "Let's be done with hurting each other."

Zuko's lip turned up at one corner. "Yeah. So if we're done with hurting each other, why do I feel like there's something eating through me from the inside?"

"Sparrowkeets," Katara said. "I feel them too."

Were there still other people around? Katara had no idea.

* * *

The worst part about being the Fire Lord was the absolute and compete lack of privacy. Ever. Every single event in his life – all the bad and all the good – had been observed. Later, when the story of his reign was recorded for history, there would be eyewitness accounts of everything. Even of this. This dinner. This dance. But he was heady from the evening and drunk from staring into her eyes for too long and he was going to kiss her if it didn't all stop, and this one thing he wanted to keep to himself. So he pulled away from her and tried to decide if the look of desperation she gave him was devastating or the best thing he'd ever seen in his entire life.

"Maybe you need a midnight tour of the ship," Zuko said.

She raised an eyebrow at him, and he took back his earlier opinion. _That_ look was the best thing he'd ever seen in his entire life.

* * *

Katara had been a little overwhelmed at the number of people on board the ship, and it felt like half of them had stayed to watch her dance with their Fire Lord. Zuko had to go table to table saying good night to clear them out. Katara found her own staff sitting starry-eyed together. She thanked them for their help and urged them to retire for the evening.

"If I had known you could dance, I would have made the dress swishier," Pin the Tailor said.

Katara hugged him and he smiled.

"The Fire Palace has a ballroom, ma'am," Ting Ting said, looking at her dreamily. "Perhaps there will be another opportunity for a swishier dress."

Katara hugged Ting Ting too and gave Asara, who was sitting next to Ting Ting and gazing at Katara with stars in her eyes, a wink. "This was perfect. Thank you all."

She found a place to look out over the water until Zuko could return to her. He didn't keep her waiting long.

"Shall we?" he asked. She took his arm, but she had the feeling he was taking her heart.

* * *

Zuko walked Katara through the ship's secrets, pointing out the intricacies of the engine room, the storage cubes in the galley and the room where all the armor and weaponry was stored. It was difficult for both of them to pay attention. He kept finding himself stopping mid-sentence to stare at her, or to notice her staring at him. When he showed her the safe room that was behind a wall in the board room, he came perilously close to shutting the hidden door behind them and letting his fluttering heart take over. But he did manage to end the tour back on the upper deck, which was empty and dark now and would leave her plenty of room to escape if she wanted it.

He re-lit one of the paper lanterns and it cast shadows on everything.

"No moon tonight," Katara commented, looking up.

"No sun." Zuko said.

"So tonight is just us," she said. "No trickery. No one bewitched."

"I'm not sure I would necessarily agree with that," Zuko said.

"But it's even," Katara said, pressing on with this puzzling line of thought. "This is a choice. For both of us."

"Yes," he said, finally understanding. "It's a choice for both of us."

* * *

So they were back on the upper deck. Looking out over the dark water. The shadows and light from the single paper lantern dancing on their faces. Approaching a moment of time with lingering patience.

Katara was afraid. She did value this friendship. She valued Zuko. She couldn't imagine a world without him, and this was putting everything at risk. Every step forward increased the risk. She faced him like she was facing her captor. He put his hands on her shoulders and she trembled.

"Katara," Zuko said. "It's just me."

"And who will we be to each other after this is over?" she asked.

His eyes were soft and understanding. His hands moved down to rest lightly at her waist and she rested her hands on his forearms. "Is it a foregone conclusion that it will ever be over?" he asked.

* * *

Her hands came up to his shoulders and she held them there. A light, comfortable breeze swept over them. It was too much. He couldn't resist any longer. If he didn't kiss her, his heart would revolt, his body would collapse, and he would cease to exist. Because what was the point of existing if he couldn't kiss a girl like this while he stood here with his hands on her waist and her eyes searched his like that?

"Katara," he said, thinking he ought to ask her or acknowledge something.

She shook her head. "Zuko, just… She stopped and he sensed that they had both given up on talking through the rest of this.

* * *

She felt his arms snake around her waist, pulling her closer while she pressed her hands against his chest, leaning back into his arms. She reached slowly up to the scarred side of his face, tracing the outline of the mark with her fingers. He tilted his head toward her touch. His eyes met hers. In the light, they were golden disks reflecting back a million emotions at her.

* * *

Her touch was like healing water on his skin. Her body was so soft in his hands. Her eyes met his. In the light, they were fiery diamonds looking up at him, and he could see his history with Katara flash back in their depths. His gaze shifted to her mouth. Her lips were slightly parted. Her breathing was as shallow as his own. It was over. He let his lips follow his gaze until their mouths just barely met. Her eyes closed. His eyes closed. He felt her quivering and himself shaking. They sank into the kiss together. It took them over immediately.

* * *

It wasn't the way Ty Lee said Mai described it. It wasn't a simple spark of light flowing through her. It was a shot of lightning directly to her heart. It coursed through her body like it was infiltrating her life force. She clutched the back of his neck, gripped his shoulder, pulled him to her with desperation.

* * *

Jet had missed out. It wasn't a cool drink of honey nectar refreshing him. It was a tidal wave crashing into his soul. It flowed through his body like it was demanding his life force. He pressed her against him, closing space between them until there was nowhere else to close.

No more space.

* * *

One kiss.

"You don't take any prisoners, do you?" Zuko murmured after, his breath coming ragged.

"Neither do you," Katara answered back. It occurred to Katara that if she didn't pull back, she was in danger of losing herself to him entirely. She didn't pull back.

* * *

Her eyes were wide and free and all-consuming. It occurred to him that if he didn't pull back, he was in danger of losing himself to her entirely. He didn't pull back. He wasn't sure when the next kiss started or when it stopped.


	15. Chapter 14 - Plot

**Author's Notes:**

Okay. Mostly back to the plot. Er. Kind of!

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Zuko couldn't remember the last time he'd slept in, but by the time he got up, the ship was already docked. Yin met him on deck. The summer sky was clear and it was a beautiful morning.

"Good morning, Lord Zuko," Yin greeted him.

"Good morning, Yin!" Zuko said cheerfully. Yin had a funny look on his face. "Oh, come on, Yin," Zuko said. "What's wrong today?"

Yin blushed. "I'm sorry sir. I'm not sure if I should ask you how your evening was or…"

Zuko grinned. "How was _your_ evening, Yin?" he asked, because the alcohol had flowed freely for all his advisers last night and Zuko was in the mood to tease.

"Nephew!" Uncle ran over to him. "I thought you were going to miss your own ride! So," he elbowed Zuko happily, without any sign of Yin's blush, "how did things go with our pretty waterbender?"

Zuko shook his head but didn't get the chance to respond. Said waterbender was approaching, and she had good ears.

"General Iroh," Katara said, joining them. She was wearing casual robes – still red though, Zuko noted – and looked ready for travel. "Don't you know a gentleman never kisses and tells?"

"Lady Katara," Uncle joked, "You make the mistake of thinking my nephew is a gentleman!"

Katara turned to Zuko, and what Zuko didn't expect was that despite everything that had happened, she would be the same Katara she had always been. She didn't blush. She didn't blink. The only give-away that anything had gone on last night at all was a slight pause while she caught his eye and held his gaze before she said: "Are you ready to go, Zuko?"

They had changed plans, choosing to take an air balloon to meet up with Sokka, Suki and Toph instead of a full airship. Yin wasn't happy about this, but Zuko saw it as the best option. News that the Avatar had disappeared was spreading, and Zuko was concerned that it would leave the rest of the Gaang vulnerable. It would be best if he and Katara could reunite quietly with their friends and regroup somewhere inconspicuous. The decision to take an air balloon, which wouldn't have room for more than two people, had nothing to do with Zuko wanting to get Katara alone again, although he couldn't escape the convenience of the plot device.

Anyway, as a precaution, Yin insisted Zuko travel with a messenger hawk and Zuko gave Yin express permission to send out a small, discrete team to follow behind as a safety crew, just in case. He also promised to keep Yin updated as to their location at all times. After what had happened, Zuko doubted he would ever be left alone again.

The air balloon was already loaded with ample supplies – again, courtesy of Yin – and he and Katara were nearly ready to leave when Katara's assistant, Ting Ting, ran up to them. She had two other people with her, and all their arms were full. One of them had a second messenger hawk in a cage.

"Her name is Matilda," Ting Ting said, handing the hawk over to Katara while the others loaded the additional packages and bundles into the air balloon.

"Thank you, Ting Ting," Katara said, trying to give the hawk back. "But Zuko is already bringing a messenger hawk."

Ting Ting made a face. "What if you're separated? What if Lord Zuko's hawk is injured? Matilda is trained to recognize your scent. Look." She pointed out a little tag hanging from Matilda's foot. "She's even labeled with your name."

"I think she has a point, Katara," Zuko said, earning a scowl from his new girlfriend. (She was his new girlfriend, right?)

Katara accepted the hawk with her lips pressed together. She'd obviously learned to submit to Ting Ting's will, though not without concern.

"You've gone to too much trouble just for me," she said. "How can I ever thank you? I hate to say goodbye."

Ting Ting turned to him. He hoped Ting Ting could read in his face what he couldn't say outloud with Katara standing right there. Yet. Her face turned into a small smile and she turned back to give Katara a hug.

"Don't worry, Lady Katara. We'll be waiting for you when you return," she said, not acknowledging the possibility of goodbye. She handed Katara one more package, wrapped in brown paper and tied in string. "From Pin," she said. "He's taken quite the liking to you."

Uncle took him aside before they left. "Nephew, I had a dream last night. I believe the Avatar is trying to reach out to us all from the spirit world. Think of a way to help him find you."

Zuko nodded his head and hugged his Uncle. "We'll figure something out, Uncle."

Uncle hugged him back. "Zuko," he added. "When a man catches the attention of a pretty girl, it is best not to lose it."

Zuko cringed. "Uncle, please…"

His Uncle winked. "So just do what I would do with-"

Katara looked over to them right then. She smiled. Uncle Iroh smiled back with all his teeth and winked. Zuko rolled his eyes. It would be best not to lose Katara to the lady-loving old man.

They boarded the air balloon and lifted off. Katara waved while Zuko stood with his arms crossed. When they were high enough that no one would be able to see them, Katara stopped waving and turned to face him.

"So," she said, leaning back against the side of the basket.

"So," he said, biting his lip and lifting his hand to his neck.

The winds were slow and gentle, the sky was clear, she was smiling and Zuko was in no rush to get out of that balloon.

It was a beautiful morning.

* * *

It turned out an air balloon was a terrible place for making out. Logistically it just didn't work. They tried it, of course, but the balloon started getting too high and they had to stop so Zuko could keep an eye on the fire heating the air. In the meanwhile, Katara decided to look at some of the things Ting Ting and Yin had packed for them.

At first, Zuko just watched while she went through things, like this was old hat for him. Then she started handing boxes and bundles to him to open, and Katara made a pleasant discovery: Zuko liked opening presents. His face took on a childish delight, and it was such a difference from his norm that she started letting him open everything just to see him look so carefree. She was pretty sure he had no idea how happy he seemed.

He held open a box to her. "Did you seduce the chef?" he accused. The box was full of chocolate truffles. Katara took it from him.

"I can't help if I'm naturally lovable," she said, breathing in the sweet aroma. She popped one of the truffles into her mouth and chewed slowly, letting the chocolate melt on her tongue.

Zuko watched her with a slow smile curling up on his lips. "Good thing I'm not the jealous type."

She was sure that was a lie. She had the impression from his gaze that _she_ was the next thing he wanted to open, and heat rose in her cheeks. She swallowed the bite of chocolate thinking about how delicious he made her feel.

"Well I am," she said. "So keep your hands off my chocolate."

They set aside the chocolates and Katara handed Zuko something else to open. It was the bundle from Pin. Zuko untied the string, unfolded the paper and pulled out something blue – the robes Katara had been wearing when she arrived. She took them from him. The robes had been torn, ripped and dirty from damage. Now they looked clean and repaired.

"He fixed them!" she said, excited.

Zuko handed her a folded piece of paper that had been in the package. It said: _"Lady Katara, perhaps I ruled out blue too quickly. Pin. p.s. Look inside your left pocket."_ Katara reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in red silk. There was a clay pendant inside with a pin attached to the back. The pendant was shaped and painted to look like a small red bird with bright blue wings. Katara teared up at the gesture. She held the pendant so Zuko could see.

"Can you help me pin it on?" she asked, handing it to him. He leaned over and kissed her quickly before taking the pendant from her. He fastened it carefully to her clothes.

"It's a blue-winged firebird," he said, fingering the little bird. "Pin makes these himself. My mother had one shaped like the Blue Spirit's mask."

"Pin worked for your mother?" Katara asked.

Zuko nodded. "Ting Ting grew up in the palace too. Her mother was my mother's most trusted adviser and assistant."

Katara didn't know what to say. She wiped her eyes.

"Katara," Zuko said quietly. "The wall we were in front of…it just about fell over on you. I wasn't sure you'd make it, even after I got you to safety. I demanded the best people I could think of to take care of you-"

"Zuko," she interrupted, reaching to grab the front of his robes and pulling him toward her. Not for a quick kiss. For a long, seething kiss. Something to erase the sad look on his face. "Thank you."

He leaned away, giving her the affectionate smile she was coming to think of as hers. "So should we, you know, talk?" he asked.

"We are talking," Katara said, giving him back the same comfortable, affectionate smile and thinking about how easy it had been – after all that – to slip into this. Their relationship had simply unfolded, and the difference now was that they could both see what had always been there on the other side.

"I meant about us."

"Oh no," she said, her voice a light tease. "Don't tell me you've already decided this is a bad idea."

He laughed. "I was kind of trying to figure out if I'm allowed to call you my girlfriend yet."

She laughed with him. "Can you kiss me again?" she asked. "I think I might still be deciding."

He smirked and swiped aside things they hadn't opened, and then he was sweeping her toward him. She barely had time to breathe before his mouth was covering hers, and she wasn't sure how she had lived without his lips moving with hers, his tongue running along her teeth, and his hand too low on her hip.

"Spirits," she muttered when he pulled away. "What was holding us back before?"

"That's a yes, right?"

She smiled mischievously. "You keep kissing like that and it'll be a 'yes anything', Zuko."

He grinned. "Keep kissing back like that and I'll come up with plenty for you to say yes to." He stood up to check the fire heating the air balloon. "I can't believe we're about to ruin this by joining back up with Sokka, Suki and Toph."

"I know," she agreed. "But we have to find Aang."

His face was serious again. "I know. And then we have to figure out how to tell _him_ about this. I hope he's okay."

She flinched. "He always comes back." She looked out the side of the air balloon for a moment then before looking back. "As for telling him about us…I think he'll be happy. He's said things to me about you…about us…before."

"Me too," Zuko said. "About you. And us. Still…" He frowned.

"What?" she asked.

"Just…you have a lot of faith in him, that's all," Zuko said.

"I always have," she said. "It's how I am with the people I love."

He gave her that look of affection again. "Inner strength. You give yourself hope when everyone else would have given up."

"You haven't given up, though, have you?" she asked.

"Of course not."

"Then I guess we're not that different."

* * *

Katara's nerves ate at her as she and Zuko approached the village of Mokitarme, the town Sokka, Suki and Toph had landed in. Though it had only been seventy-two hours since they'd separated from the rest of the group, it felt like much longer. Katara had never been to Mokitarme, but they could see Appa resting behind one of the buildings from the sky and they landed nearby. Zuko jumped over the side of the balloon and Katara let him give her a lift out.

"Relax," he said, squeezing her waist lightly with his hands as he set her down. "What's the worst thing they can do?"

"Tease us relentlessly?" She looked anxiously toward the front of the building they'd landed behind.

He kissed her forehead. "Worth it."

Zuko let her go just in time for Sokka to round the corner. Katara ran to him, and her brother – who really had become impressively muscular over the years – swung her around in a bear hug. "Sokka! I'm glad you're okay! I was so worried!"

"As if there was any doubt," he said haughtily, but he hugged her a little longer than usual while he watched Zuko walk up. "And as if there was any doubt you would be okay with him." Sokka grinned, letting her go, and clapped Zuko hard on the back. "Thanks for taking care of my little sister, man."

Zuko gave Katara a mischievous look while he clapped Sokka back – harder – and pulled him into what Katara could only call an extended "bro hug." Katara covered her eyes in disgust while Sokka grunted.

"No problem, man," Zuko said gruffly. She wondered if he had always had a mischievous side, but when she looked again his eyes were misty, and he shrugged sheepishly at her as if to say: "Fine. I care. So what?" So she shook her head and let it go while Sokka gleamed at them both.

"So Sokka," Katara asked. "Where are Toph and Suki?"

"Inside." Sokka gestured toward the front of the building. "Come on. I'll take you there."

Sokka and Suki had found rooms at a small inn where a local village doctor was seeing Toph. Sokka let them into Toph's room. Toph was lying in bed with Momo curled next to her, and Suki was sitting in a chair nearby. The atmosphere in the room was subdued. A pulse of fear radiated through Katara. Zuko put his hand on the back of her shoulder, solemn again. Suki stood up to hug them.

"I'm so glad you're here, Katara," Suki said. "We weren't sure if we'd ever see you again."

"We weren't sure if we'd ever see _you_ again!" Katara shifted her eyes to Toph. "How is she?"

Suki fidgeted. "The doctor in town is nice, but he doesn't seem that good." She looked cautiously at Toph, who was lying still with her eyes closed. She continued in a whisper. "Toph refuses to take any of the compounds he gives for pain. I don't think she trusts him."

"I can hear you," Toph said grouchily from the bed. "And I _don't_ trust that crackpot. Especially since I know what a real healer can do." Katara chuckled briefly. Toph was spunky even when she was injured.

She sat down by Toph where Suki had been sitting and took her friend's hand. "Hey Toph," she said. "How are you?"

Toph looked at her weakly and grimaced. "I feel like I fought with a boulder and it won," she said miserably. "How do you think I am?"

Katara smiled thinly. "Well, let's get you fixed up." She peeled back the blankets and flinched. Suki got a bowl of water for her and sat down on the edge of the bed with it.

"So what happened?" Katara heard Zuko ask. He was standing with Sokka in the doorway.

"She was swept up in the storm and thrown down against the side of one of the buildings," Suki said. "I saw everything. It was horrible."

"How though?" Zuko continued. "You don't just pick Toph up and throw her down against something. Believe me, I know."

Toph groaned. "Didn't you guys feel it?" she asked. "I lost all my bending. I thought everyone did."

"_All_ of it?" Katara looked up at Zuko. His surprised expression matched her own feelings. He shook her head at her. "I don't understand, Toph. We thought Aang seemed weak – and he wouldn't let us help him at all – but neither of us lost our bending. We were fine."

"Well, sort of," Zuko corrected. He stood up straight and crossed his arms over his chest. "Until Katara nearly got killed."

"But it wasn't because my bending was affected." She moved on to another of Toph's injuries. "I wish I had been here earlier."

"You couldn't have been here earlier," Zuko said. Sokka and Suki exchanged an amused look. "It's hard to heal someone when you're barely conscious yourself."

Toph squeezed her hand lightly. "Katara, I'm just glad you got here at all. You're incredible. And my bending is back, so if you could just fix up the rest of me…" She smiled a little, and Katara could tell she was already feeling better. "Anyway," Toph continued smugly. "If I'd known a serious, life-threatening situation is all it would take to get you two together, I would have rigged something up forever ago."

"Really?" Suki said, her eyes lighting up at Katara. "Is that true? Are you and Zuko together?"

"What!?" Sokka yelped, and out of the corner of her eyes, Katara could see him pointing back and forth between her and Zuko like a loon.

"Oh, come on," Zuko said flatly. "As if anyone is surprised."

"Oh, no one's surprised that you're together," Toph said, "Sokka's just mad because he bet me twenty coins you wouldn't make out with his sister before you guys found us again. He said you'd have more honor than that."

"Well that was stupid," Zuko said, but he didn't look too upset.

* * *

Sokka tried to do the: "I'm happy for you, but I'll kill you if you hurt my sister" thing. They were lounging in Sokka's room at the inn while Toph slept. Zuko had helped Katara pull cushions against the wall and they were sitting together while Sokka rested on the bed and Suki sat cross-legged on the ground, leaning against the bed frame.

"I'm just saying," Sokka said.

Zuko had his back against the wall and one arm hanging easily around Katara's shoulders. She snuggled closer. He held out his free hand, formed a ball of fire and glared at Sokka.

"Hey," Sokka held up his hands in surrender. "I know I can't take you in a fight. I'll just sic Suki on you if I need to."

Zuko looked at Suki.

The Kyoshi Warrior put two fingers to her eyes and then pointed them at him. "Got my eye on you, Zuko," she said in a low voice. Katara laughed.

Zuko pretended to pout. "So who's going to make sure Katara doesn't hurt me?"

"Don't you know?" Katara said sweetly. "No one can protect you from me." She formed her own ball of water, waved her hand lazily and made the water chase the fire. The fire hissed out, dissolving the water into steam. Katara yawned.

"Late night?" Zuko smirked, pressing his lips into her hair.

"Something along those lines," she replied, cracking her knuckles and stretching back against his chest.

"Oh, great," Sokka moaned sarcastically. "We're replacing sexual tension with sexual innuendo."

"I think it's cute," Suki said, reaching up to hold Sokka's hand.

"Sure it's cute," Sokka agreed. "Hey Suki, what do you get when you cross a firebender and a waterbender?"

"Um-"

"I'll give you a hint," Sokka said. "It's cuter than a saber tooth moose lion cub."

"Are you sure you want to marry that guy?" Zuko asked Suki, glaring daggers at Sokka. He had congratulated them both earlier, but now it crossed his mind that maybe Suki hadn't given this enough thought. She shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure you want to give up the Kyoshi Warriors for him?" Katara added sharply.

Sokka sat up. "What are you talking about?" he asked, sliding down to the floor next to Suki and putting his arm around her. "She isn't giving up the Kyoshi Warriors for me. She isn't giving up the Kyoshi Warriors at all."

Suki looked away from him. "Sokka," she said, "We can't live at the South Pole _and_ on Kyoshi Island."

"Sure we can. Haven't you ever heard of a vacation house?"

Suki looked at him sadly. "Sokka, Hakoda's going to want you to step up as a leader in the Southern Water Tribe. You won't be able to split your time. Leaders have to be present to lead. Zuko can't just leave the Fire Nation for months every year." Suki gestured toward him.

"Hey!" Sokka said. "I'm not Zuko. My father doesn't need to be defeated, and I don't have to take his place anytime soon." Sokka turned Suki's shoulders toward him so they were face-to-face. Zuko looked down, feeling awkward about observing what felt like a private conversation.

"I love you," Sokka continued. "And you're not just some stupid silly girl. You can't give up everything for me like that. We'll figure something out."

"Really?" Suki asked, her voice hopeful.

"I may be the meat, sword, sarcasm, plan and ponytail guy, but I am not the misogynist jerk who makes his awesome future wife give up something that defines her identity just to be with him," Sokka said. Suki smiled like she believed him.

Zuko rapped the knuckles of his free hand quietly against the floor. He saw Katara touch the little blue-winged firebird pendant. Sometimes nothing about his title made his life easier. She looked at him, caught what was probably a worried expression on his face, straightened up and knelt forward. He sat up as well, his arm dropping from her shoulders. "Come on, everyone," she said. "We need to focus on Aang. Sokka, what's our new plan?"

Sokka got serious. "If you ask me, the plan is to find Aang." He nodded at Zuko. "I'm assuming you already have people searching?"

Zuko nodded back. "I have pretty much the entire Fire Nation naval and air force looking for any sign of him. I tried to contact Jun-"

"You did?" Katara asked, looking sideways at him again. "I didn't know that." He gave her the brief twist of a half smile.

"Katara," Sokka admonished, apparently back on Zuko's side. "Your new boyfriend is the _Fire Lord_. Resources, little sis."

"Some good that's doing me," Zuko said stonily. "No one can find Jun. My advisers say she's been missing for a long time, and they think she's on the run. Something to do with a bad deal involving a derivative of cactus juice."

"Tell them about your Uncle's dream," Katara suggested.

"Your Uncle had a dream about Aang?" Suki asked.

"Uncle is an expert on meditation and the spirit world," he explained. "He had a dream that the Avatar was trying to reach out to us from the spirit world."

"So if Aang is trying to find us, we need to find a way to send him a signal," Sokka said, his face screwed up like he was thinking hard. "But the spirit world is huge, and we don't know how to get in."

"Don't forget about his body," Suki said. "That's missing too. Maybe we should focus on finding that."

"I hate to say this, but I think our best option is to split up after Toph gets better," Sokka said. "You guys can take the air balloon and we'll take Appa."

Zuko tensed and he heard Katara breath sharply. "No," she said adamantly. "We can't separate again. I have a bad feeling about that."

"I agree," he said. "I already have people searching for Aang's body. We need to stay focused on his spirit and the bending problems."

"But we have no idea how to find his spirit and there was no pattern to the bending problems," Sokka argued.

They sat in silence. Zuko thought about the things they'd done to test Aang's bending. He hadn't exactly drawn attention to it, but there had been one time he'd felt his own bending weaken. It had happened on the obstacle course. At the time, he'd felt confused about Katara and she'd yelled at him for going too easy on her. But he hadn't been purposely "going easy" on her at all.

"I kind of have a theory about the bending problems," he started cautiously. "At least for me and Katara."

Katara tilted her head at him. "What is it?" she asked.

"I think the bending problems Aang was feeling go two ways for us. Whenever one of us feels abandoned by the other, we lose strength. But when we feel like we're on the same team, we gain power."

Katara looked thoughtfully at him.

"I don't know, Zuko," Suki said. "When you guys were sparring right before the storm, you both looked stronger than you had all day, even though you were fighting each other."

"That's right," Sokka agreed. "Plus, it doesn't explain why Toph lost her bending completely during the storm. It's not like any of us were working against her."

Zuko thought about the conversation they'd had at the meeting on the ship yesterday morning. He turned back to Katara, appealing silently to her for help.

"I know it looked like Zuko and I were fighting," Katara said slowly, holding his gaze. "We were trading hits during our match-"

"There was a lot of water," Suki added.

"There was a lot of fire," Sokka said, narrowing his eyes. "Honestly, you're both pretty scary."

Zuko rolled his eyes and Katara smirked.

"We know," she said. (Zuko decided he especially loved when she was dangerous and powerful.) "But I think Zuko's theory is right. Our match felt different from any of the other matches we had that day because…" She paused and looked helplessly at him, obviously not sure how to complete the thought.

"Because the objective was different," Zuko tried to finish for her. "We weren't exactly fighting. Well, we _were_ fighting, but we weren't trying to hurt each other. Not really. It was more like…" He hesitated.

"Flirting," Toph said. She was standing in the doorway, looking a lot better than she had just an hour before. Katara winked at him and he smiled back. Her abilities really were amazing. Toph came in and sat on the floor by the doorway. "For you two, a good fight is exactly the same as flirting. And apparently you make up well enough."

He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted slightly closer to Katara again. "Yeah," he said. "That sounds right."

Katara blushed but shifted into him as well. She found his hand with hers. "I agree," she said. "How are you feeling Toph?"

"Much better thanks to you, Sugar Queen."

"But Toph," Suki said gently. "Regardless of what was happening with Katara and Zuko, you lost _all_ of your bending. How do we explain that?"

"Right," Sokka said, "You didn't have any reason to feel abandoned by anyone. Suki and I were right there. _Aang_ was there."

Toph sat with her knees up and her arms resting around them. She faced directly forward, not saying anything. Zuko looked at Sokka. His face reflected the confusion Zuko felt. Suki pinched her eyebrows together, mirroring Katara's expression. Zuko became hyper-aware of the symmetry. He was sitting next to Katara, holding her hand, their fingers laced together, while Sokka sat directly across from him, his arm draped around Suki, who had reached up to hold his hand. Their fingers were woven together as well.

Sokka and Suki were getting married. Did Zuko dare imagine the possibility that he was sitting with his actual family? Was this how it would be in five years? Twenty years? Was it way too early to be thinking about these things? Of course it was. Then again, if he had it _his_ way, that's exactly how this would go down. Katara made all the difference in the world to him, and the thought of going back to a life without her was so bleak he had mostly wiped the possibility from his mind. Did Katara feel the same? How did any of this make Toph feel? Like a fifth wheel?

Katara and Suki looked at each other and something visible passed between them. They attacked Toph with a hug. Sokka looked at Zuko and tilted his head toward the girls. Zuko muttered something unpleasant, but he and Sokka both joined in too. Yeah. It wasn't manly to have his arm around another dude or a bunch of teary girls. So what?

"Hey!" Toph cried, pretending to try to throw them off. "I have only recently recovered from some very serious injuries."

"Toph," Katara said, as they all sat back in a tight semi-circle around her, "you know we think of you as family, right?" Zuko caught Katara's eye. She smiled and something in her expression made his heart pound. Maybe he wasn't too far ahead of the game after all.

"No matter what," Suki added.

Toph sighed. "I know, but when we left the Northern Air Temple, I missed Teo a lot, and watching you two be all couply…" she pointed with both hands to Sokka and Suki "…and you two be all adorable…" she pointed to him and Katara "…it would have been hard not to feel left out."

Katara sat back on her heels. "Do you think Aang felt the same?"

Toph nodded. "I think it's a good assumption to start from."


	16. Chapter 15 - Change

**Author's Notes:**

Happy lunch break!

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

They returned to the Earth Kingdom village where the storm had been. The location was Sokka's idea.

"Usually Aang finds us again, not the other way around," Sokka explained. "When he gets out of his spirit funk, he'll be like a kid lost at a festival. He'll start by looking for us the first place we were together last. So that's where we should go."

Zuko didn't exactly agree with Sokka's logic, but the Earth Kingdom village was isolated and as good a place as any to work on figuring out how to actively find Aang. So they loaded Appa up and headed back out the next morning. When they got to the village, it was little more than a pile of wood, rusted metal and bricks. There was no sign of Aang, but they decided to stay for a while, just in case Sokka was right.

While they waited, they brainstormed ways to send a signal to Aang. The list included sitting around in a circle and talking about their favorite memories of Aang (Katara's idea), making a bonfire the size of an entire deserted Earth Kingdom village (his idea), and drawing a huge picture of Appa somewhere in the desert (Sokka's idea).

When they weren't racking their brains trying to figure out what to do to help Aang, they had a lot of time on their hands. The Gaang-minus-Aang tried to use the time productively at first and to do everything together, on the grounds that the more "togetherness" they developed, the less vulnerable they were to Bending Voodoo (as Sokka started calling it). But after they had set up the campsite together (too easy), groomed Appa together (a disgusting job, Zuko thought), cooked a meal together (Katara was kind of a control freak about cooking), and played several rounds of pai sho (Zuko had not inherited his Uncle's love of the game), they were tapped out on things to do together.

Zuko started to feel agitated and claustrophobic, despite the emptiness of the village. He became irritated with almost everyone. Sokka spent too much time planning stupid things, including idiotic jokes. Yeah, he was a good guy. Yeah, Zuko found him unconventionally intelligent. Yeah, he was Katara's brother. Yeah, Zuko actually-sort-of-kind-of-would've been fine if Sokka ever had to back him up in a bar fight. But no, he did not need to see Sokka's plans for "Northern Water Crisis II" laid out with cups, rubber bands and eel hound jerky a fourth time. Also, he did not find it funny when Sokka started mewling whenever Zuko left to go anywhere with Katara alone.

At least Sokka was doing something, though, and that was more than Zuko could say for Toph, who did absolutely nothing to help around camp whatsoever. Maybe he'd been spoiled living in the palace with an army of servants for the last several years, but Toph had to be the laziest, dirtiest person he'd ever known. The only person she'd even lift a finger for was Katara, and even then she tended to half-ass the easy stuff Katara asked her to do. Plus, she took camping as an excuse to acquire a layer of earth. Katara caught his look of disgust one morning when Toph showed up at breakfast with caveman-style bedhead, and she could hardly stop laughing at him for it.

Suki was the least of the offenders, but she was driving him crazy too, mostly because she kept stealing Katara away from him. "Katara, can you help me get water from the pumps?" "Katara, I need a training partner, are you up for that?" "Katara, how do you make the breakfast porridge again?" "Katara, I think Momo's sick, will you take a look at him?" Katara, Katara, Katara, Katara. And that wasn't just Suki, either. How everyone lived without Katara on a regular basis was a mystery to Zuko.

How he had been living without Katara was a mystery, too, but he knew for sure he needed her more than anyone else did. She was the only thing saving him from insanity. Luckily, annoyances aside, the biggest problem with Suki, Sokka and Toph was just boredom. Without anywhere to go and anything to do, everyone had too much downtime.

i.e. Zuko had time to spend exploring the newer aspects of his relationship with Katara. That – and that alone – is what he wanted to spend his downtime doing.

Until recently, Zuko's physical contact with Katara had been limited primarily to hugs. Those were rare times when his body had met hers in friendly warmth. They were the kind of things that happened in the upper body, though, with only the appropriate amount of pressure to keep it affectionate without making it too close or personal. Now there was more scope for imagination. Zuko wanted it all, and he was learning that there was more than one way to be kissed by Katara.

There were the kisses that happened when they were flying on Appa. They sat in each other's arms in the saddle, and while the others snickered, Katara reached up and pulled his head down to hers. Blissfully, that shut them all up. Mostly. There was still Sokka and his mewling whenever it went on too long.

There were the quick, light kisses she gave him in the morning, instead of saying hello, when she found him before he found her, and her eyes were still cast over with pleasant dreams. She smiled at him sleepily and he hoped she had been dreaming about him, because he had definitely been dreaming about her.

There were soft, sweet kisses that came throughout the day when he said something nice, when he touched her arm, when they shared laughter and sometimes for no reason whatsoever. He hoped that would never wear off or get old.

There were times when they were finally alone, and he would lie with his head in her lap, and her kisses would fall like drops of rain – on his lips, his neck, his chest, his forehead – while he stared up and thought about how pretty she was.

There were exploratory kisses, during which she discovered that the inside of his left elbow was ticklish, amongst other mutually pleasing discoveries.

There were kisses that were long and slow: promises that lingered on his lips for hours.

And there were his current favorite: kisses that were hard and desperate, last thing at night, when she kissed him like she couldn't stand the thought of separating for so many hours, curved into his body like she was part of him, and left him panting outside his tent before she said goodnight.

If he could just have gotten rid of their compadres, Zuko would have been fine. Toph was picking her toes again while he thought about all of this. Honestly. He had to find a way to get rid of them. Toph gave him a blind-eyed grin like she knew she was driving him crazy.

Sooner rather than later would be good.

* * *

Katara really thought the thing where they sat around and told stories about Aang would do it. She tried to think of good ones. Like the time she taught Aang how to catch a penguin or the time Aang went to a Fire Nation school and brought back a picture of Fire Lord Ozai made of noodles. Sokka talked about sliding down the mail chutes at Omashu and the time Aang helped those two Earth Kingdom tribes through the canyon at the Great Divide by making up a story about their ancestors. Toph talked about teaching Aang how to earthbend, and how he'd needed to believe Sokka was in real danger before he would stand his ground. Suki recalled the first time she'd met Aang, and how he'd ultimately saved her village – from Zuko – by riding the Unagi.

"Sometimes I still can't believe how much _you've_ changed," Suki said to Zuko after. Katara tightened her hold on his hand. "I was really afraid of you."

"A lot of people still are," Zuko said. He looked into the fire and everyone was quiet. Katara leaned against his shoulder.

Zuko himself broke the silence. "I have a story about Aang that you guys don't know much about." He told them about the time he'd disguised himself as the Blue Spirit to save Aang from General Zhao and how Aang had ultimately saved him from capture too. "He asked if I thought we could have been friends, and, of course, I attacked him." There was pain in Zuko's voice.

"But Zuko," Katara said. "We all know you're different now."

"I'm not that different," he said. "I still have good and bad in me. I just choose good now." He stopped and looked up at the sky. "Anyway, I told the story because it's about Aang. Even when I was on the wrong path, Aang looked at me and saw someone he thought he could be friends with. I'm not giving up on him now. We'll find him again."

Katara watched Zuko look up at the stars and for a few minutes she thought that if she looked close, she could see the face of the prince who had once been their enemy. Then he looked back down at everyone.

"This isn't working," he said, but the hint of a smile formed on his lips. "You know, I hate not living up to expectations. When do we get to try my idea?" He raised his hand and the fire they were sitting around rose up into the sky.

"Yeah baby!" Toph yelled. "Fire and destruction!"

Since Katara sensed that Toph was sort of on Zuko's bad side right now (the prince was even prissier than she was), she wanted to let her and Zuko have at it. But Suki and Sokka decided they wanted to turn in early, and Katara realized it would probably be a bad idea for all of them to breathe in the smoke and ash of such a large fire all night long. So Toph put up a tent of earth around her and pouted in it, and that left Zuko and Katara sitting by the campfire together.

i.e. It gave them alone time. Which was just fine as far as Katara was concerned. More than fine, actually. Alone time with Zuko was something Katara looked forward to these days.

Of course, Katara had been kissed plenty before Zuko. She was pretty and she never lacked a guy who was interested in her. She had liked being kissed before too. She had even let herself get caught up in it before, in some cases to her later embarrassment (Jet's name came to mind). But by comparison, all the other kisses she'd ever experienced felt passionless and pale. There was so much emotion on the table with Zuko, and more at stake generally. She wanted it all, and Katara was learning there was more than one way to be kissed by Zuko.

Kisses from Zuko didn't depend on there being "alone time." He found other opportunities. Some mornings, he was waiting for her outside her tent when she walked outside into the light. He would kiss her "good morning" like he was the rising sun and she had no choice but to rise with him.

Sometimes during the day she would walk by him and he would catch her by the waist, swing her around so he could kiss her and then send her back to whatever she was doing without any sign that it had even happened, except for the smile on his face. She wasn't sure who needed those kisses more given the frustration of camp life, but in any case, they were a joint benefit.

He communicated with kisses too. Kisses were how he said "I'm having fun" and "I'm glad I'm sharing this moment with you," and also how he said "I don't want you to be sad" and "I think you're gorgeous." One time it was "your brother is pissing me off" and another it was "please tell Toph she needs to bathe," and really, she liked how he talked.

But there were good reasons to want to be alone with Zuko. Like the whispered kisses she got, when no one else was around and he would come up behind her, sweep away her hair, and kiss the back of her neck gently, just above her shoulders. For no reason whatsoever. Sweet shivers would dance over her skin.

Or when he would brush by her while they were working – he was too smart and graceful ever for it to be an accident – and she would find herself thrown against something (a wall, a tree, him), and pressed and held there while he kissed her like he meant it.

When they got away from everyone and curled into each other there were reverent, sustained kisses. He held her in his arms and kissed her like she might float away if he wasn't attentive enough. She was falling in love in those moments.

There was him playfully sweeping a flame up by her feet, forcing her back into corners until she had nowhere to go and him saying: "I'll save you from the pirates" before he took them both down in a torrent of passionate kisses. In those moments there was fierce desire.

And one night there was him dragging her into his tent, before she could escape with an easy goodnight. He fastened the flap firmly behind them and kissed her like he was drinking her in, until she was too weak to stand and they collapsed down to the ground together, both fighting to control a fire rushing through their veins. So it was like an oath. A promise that other nights – nights when she wouldn't depart for her own tent – were yet to come.

She left that night feeling like she had only just gotten away with her life, and like she was going to die from leaving. Like…well…

* * *

"I think we need to talk."

The sun was barely up and Zuko had been alone sitting by the dwindling campfire, drinking a cup of hot tea lazily. Katara sat down a few feet away from him and didn't kiss him.

She was frowning. He frowned.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Zuko asked, saying the first thing that came to his mind.

Her face broke into laugher. "No, Zuko. That's not what we need to talk about." She grinned at him. "Can't you tell I like us together? A lot?"

Zuko relaxed and smiled tentatively back. "Oh. That's good. So what do you want to talk about?"

Katara bit her lip and blushed. The tips of her ears turned pink. "Um, I think we need to talk about the sparrowkeets and the buzzerbees."

Zuko nearly spit out his tea. "You want to talk about _what_?"

Katara pushed forward with this awkward line of conversation. "I just don't think I'm ready for…"

Zuko let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. "That's okay, Katara," he said quickly. "Just because everything is…uh…a little intense right now, doesn't mean we have to take it any further."

Katara crossed her arms and glared at him. "Are you saying you don't _want_ to take it any further?"

Now Zuko felt like a coon hare caught in a trap. He sipped his tea delicately and tried not to show the fear in his eyes. "No," he said, deciding on an evasive tactic. "I'm not saying that."

She continued to glare at him, but looked hurt too, so he set down his tea and tried again. "Katara, I'm not saying I don't want to. I'm just never going to try to get you to do something you aren't ready to do."

"No, Zuko," she said. (_No?_ He thought.) "You don't understand. What I was trying to say is I don't think I'm ready for…um…saber tooth moose lion cubs."

"Huh?" Now Zuko was really confused. He looked at her dumbfounded.

Katara threw her hands in the air. "I'm not afraid of _sex_. I just don't want to get pregnant!" She scowled. "I mean, can you imagine how that would look for you? If the Fire Lord had an illegitimate child?"

Zuko snorted. "It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened in the Fire Nation."

"My dad would kill you. Sokka would kill you. Aang would-" she stopped, her eyes big and horrified thinking about it.

"Take away my bending?" Zuko supplied, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Maybe take away something else," Katara advised in a whisper.

Yeah, he didn't want that, but it was so funny to hear her talking about it that it was all he could do to keep a straight face. So it was back to the thing she'd said that made sense. Zuko scooted over to sit next to her. "Okay, so let me get this right. You woke up two hours early this morning so you could tell me you're not ready to have babies yet?"

Katara nodded and teared up, and even though he couldn't really tell if the tears were because she was pissed off at him or confused or somehow thought this was going to make him angry, Zuko wished all of his problems were this easy. "Katara, this isn't a big deal."

"It's not?" she said, glaring again.

Girls were crazy. He rolled his eyes and hugged her. "No. Look, I think you, or we, should talk to Suki. There are herbs and other things we can do." He waited for her to connect the dots and ask him the next obvious question. Wouldn't she want to know how he knew anything about this stuff? She didn't think those rumors about him were true, did she? She did know Mai was the only girl he'd ever been with, right?

Although history really didn't matter in this case. Apart from the mechanics, Zuko couldn't imagine things being the same with Katara. Mai had mostly been sleepy and cold about sex. A few times they'd explored the more dangerous side of her desires, but that had been more scary than pleasurable. Katara kissed with more passion than he'd ever experienced in bed with Mai. She made him feel an irresistible, intoxicating physical need that no one had ever made him feel, and he couldn't separate it from the emotional need he connected to her. Frankly, it was such overpowering need that he was nervous about sex.

She never asked the question. He kissed her temple. "Anyway," he said, "I don't know about you, but I'm happy. I don't mind waiting."

"Waiting until when!?" Katara exclaimed.

"Until we're married and need little Fire Nation heirs," Zuko said glibly, hoping she didn't catch the slight hook in his voice.

"Ha ha," Katara said, but he didn't miss the way her eyes softened. "I can't believe I had to have this conversation with you."

"It's a milestone." Katara raised her eyebrows, so Zuko kissed the side of her mouth. "The first of many-" he kissed her nose "-awkward conversations-" he kissed the other side of her mouth "-that I hope we will have-" he kissed her forehead "-about many-" he kissed her chin "-embarrassing-" he kissed her mouth "-life realities." Another kiss while he held her face in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers. "Such as the fact that you don't think you're ready to bear saber tooth moose lion cubs." He kissed her again. "Very embarrassing."

"I thought you said you'd chosen to be good," Katara muttered.

"I _am_ good," Zuko said, giving her his most evil smile. "Good in the best way."

* * *

"Katara!" Sokka whined. "I'm starving! When will the food be ready?"

Katara growled. Ever since her morning conversation with Zuko, she'd been in a foul mood. He, on the other hand, seemed downright chipper, and that just ticked her off more. Now Sokka was getting on her nerves too. Sure she was the only one here capable of making decent food, but that did not make it okay for Sokka to act (more than normal) like she was his mother. She was doing them all a favor by handling so much of the cooking.

"He just wants attention," Suki said from nearby. She was sorting through their supplies. "Ignore him if you can."

Sokka walked closer and peered over the pot Katara was stirring. "Can I taste?" he asked.

"Only if you want your tongue burned off," Katara snapped.

"You are a mean, harsh woman," Sokka said. He tilted his head at her. "Did you and Zuko have a fight?"

"Mind your own business. You want to eat or not?" Katara asked.

Suki looked back and forth from brother to sister, her mouth stretched in a thin line. Katara turned her head away from Sokka and stuck her nose in the air. Suki sighed audibly. "Sokka," she said, "maybe you should go gather more firewood. It looks like we'll need some before dark."

Out of the corner of her eye, Katara saw Sokka scowl at her.

"It's a very manly job," Suki purred. "Please?"

"Fine," Sokka grumbled, heading off. "I'll go get your firewood."

"Thank you, Sokka!" Suki said. She kissed him on the cheek to mollify him.

"No, thank _you_, Suki," Katara said when Sokka was out of earshot. "You'd think he never learned how to do anything."

"Well, you shouldn't have to play mom all the time," Suki said. Katara blushed, thinking again of the conversation she'd had with Zuko earlier that day. Zuko was not around now. She'd sent him off with Toph a while ago. They were salvaging things from the village, gathering everything else into piles of rubble and burning the piles down. Zuko called it "demolition duty," but Toph just called it "fun." In any case, Katara was alone with Suki now, and she decided she might as well take this opportunity to ask Suki a few questions. (Zuko had offered to talk to Suki with her, then later he'd suggested they just ask Sokka and Suki together, but Katara had vetoed both ideas. As if.)

"Wow," Suki said, after Katara finished.

"I know," Katara said glumly. "It's too soon to even think about this." She didn't admit that she also felt embarrassed (and slightly hurt) that Zuko knew more than she did about everything. Embarrassed because now she felt like maybe there was something wrong that she didn't know these things. Slightly hurt because it bothered her to think about Zuko with anyone else that way. Even Mai. Maybe especially Mai. (Though maybe she owed Mai a thank you for teaching him how to kiss because really, the Fire Lord was an excellent kisser.)

"I don't know about that," Suki said. "It's better to think about it too early than too late. You can make up your own mind about what's too fast. I'm just really surprised you didn't know how to handle this stuff already."

"Well who told you?" Katara asked defensively.

"My mom," Suki said. "Maybe a few years before I met you guys."

Katara stirred the stew slowly, looking down into it. Now she knew what was wrong with her that she didn't know these things already.

"Oh, Katara!" Suki said suddenly. "That was so stupid! I will tell you everything you need to know. Don't worry!"

But something had just hit Katara. "Wait, Suki," she said. "I think I just had an idea." Suki looked confused. "I mean for Aang," Katara elaborated. "I think I know where we need to go to find him."

It made so much sense to her suddenly, inspired by all this talk about mothers. The problems Aang had with his bending had only started happening after her and Aang stopped traveling together. He had relied on her for ages before that. She had been his mother, his sister, his best friend. When they were young, she was even his first crush. His first love. Then they separated, and when they got back together for this trip, it hadn't even occurred to Katara that Aang might need her support or might feel like he didn't have it anymore. She had assumed Aang would know she would always be there for him when he needed her.

Not only that, but this entire time, the relationship she had been focused on was hers with Zuko, not hers with Aang. But what if Aang didn't know that she would still be there for him? No matter what happened with Zuko? What if the closer she got to Zuko, the farther Aang felt from her? The Gaang was Aang's family. They were the ones who were supposed to help him through times in his life like this, when his relationships with his childhood friends matured. But Katara was both his family and the childhood friend he might feel he was losing, all at once. It wouldn't be any wonder if Aang felt incredibly alone.

It wasn't long before Katara and Suki had gathered everyone back, and by that time dinner was pretty much done, so Katara dolled out stew and bread before she sat down and started telling everyone about the insight she'd just had.

"He wouldn't let us help with the storm," Zuko said thoughtfully, after she'd finished talking. "It was wind, rain and lightning. But he pushed us away. Maybe he was angry at us."

"No," Sokka said sternly. "He wasn't. Aang and I had a long talk about you and Katara before you ever arrived at the North Pole. Aang thought your friendship was like blinders for you both. He wanted you together. He told me he thought you complemented each other. I think he thinks you sort of need each other too."

"But that doesn't mean this is easy for him," Katara said. "Just because he loves us both and wants us to be happy, doesn't mean he knows what that means for him."

"He's also very self-sacrificing," Zuko added. He looked at her. "Especially for you, Katara," he said softly. "I think Aang would do anything to make sure you were happy."

"I know," Katara said. "That's why I know what we need to do next. We need to go to the South Pole and go back to the place where Sokka and I first found Aang. Maybe he's waiting for us to find him again. We need to show him – I need to show him – that we will never leave him behind or alone. We'll always be his family."


	17. Chapter 16 - Rush

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Zuko agreed with Katara's idea, but the logistics put him in a bad mood. First, he was not excited about a second visit to either pole in less than three weeks. In the Fire Nation, winter meant mild temperatures, cold rain and more wind than normal. Not heaps of snow and ice. Zuko wasn't afraid of much, but freezing to death was not something he'd put on his bucket list. Why the water tribes chose the coldest life possible was totally beyond him.

Second, he was not looking forward to the ride to the South Pole. Truthfully, Zuko thought they were all getting a little old for travel by air bison. He'd been nostalgic in the beginning, and then later he hadn't wanted to draw public attention to the trouble their mission was having (had they done _anything_ related to Aang's initial project?). But a multi-day trek to the South Pole crammed on Appa's saddle with the rest of the group did not sound good to Zuko. Especially since he knew how cold it would be up in the saddle the last day.

Furthermore, Zuko had a very good solution to the problem: skip the bison ride and take his ship instead. His cozy, _heated_ ship, which was equipped with ample supplies and luxurious accommodations. Yin was probably parked less than an hour's walk from their campsite with an air ship that could get them to port by noon tomorrow.

"But where would Appa go?" Toph said, when Zuko brought the idea up with the group. It was later in the evening and they were sitting around the campfire. Momo, who was squatted by Toph and eating something gross, looked up at Zuko with big wide eyes.

"Yeah." Sokka laughed. "I bet your ship isn't equipped with bison daycare. What's wrong, Zuko? Afraid it's going to get too cold for you?"

"We'll tow Appa on a barge or build him a pen on the upper deck or something," Zuko said, agitated. "Or he can fly next to us."

"Zuko," Katara said, "the whole point of traveling on Appa is to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Catching a ride on a huge cruiser ship to the South Pole isn't exactly discrete."

Zuko groaned, hopped up and started pacing around in front of everyone. "We've been here all week. Everyone's bending has been fine. There's been no sign of Aang or whatever attacked him at all, and there's no dark spirit coming after us without Aang. Anyway, if I head to the South Pole on Appa, Yin will show up with my ship and dock at the closest iceberg."

Katara looked unconvinced. Zuko appealed to Sokka. "You said it yourself, Sokka. I'm the Fire Lord. I have resources! Why can't we take advantage of them?"

Sokka looked at Suki. Zuko looked hopefully at her as well. Suki would have more sense than either of the Water Tribe siblings or Toph, right? But Suki just bit her lip. "What?" Zuko said, "You're not on my side either?"

She shrugged apologetically. "I'm not sure it would be smart, Zuko. There could be someone out there who thinks this is the perfect time to take out the Avatar's best friends. Do we want to draw extra attention to ourselves?" The others nodded in agreement. Zuko stood in disbelief over them, his hands fisted at his sides.

"I am the ruler of a nation that is _peaceful_ and _prosperous_," he said, making fire flash up behind him for effect. "There are no serious threats to my nation or my rule because after the Avatar, I am considered the most powerful person _in the world_. If Aang ever had to take me down, he'd probably call _you guys_ to do it. Suki, if I ever had to hire someone to protect me from an assassination threat, I'd hire the Kyoshi Warriors. Sokka, in a few years, you are going to be my most important political ally. Toph, you invented metal bending! And Katara…"

Katara rested her face against the back of her hand and looked up lazily at him. "Do you even know how strong you are?" Zuko made the fire flame higher behind him for emphasis.

"We aren't-" more flames "-a ragtag bunch-" higher flames "-of defenseless loser kids!" He added blue and green flames for the hell of it. "We are leaders and warriors and we should travel like it! On. A. Ship!"

Zuko breathed in and out heavily. Katara looked at Suki who looked at Toph who looked at Momo who looked at Sokka who looked back at Katara before they all looked up at him again.

"We won't be alone as much on the ship," Katara said uneasily.

Zuko dropped the flames. Toph punched Katara's shoulder. "Ha! Sugar Queen beats Fire Lord!"

Sometimes Zuko missed being a villain. He glared at Katara. "It's _my ship_ and _my people_. I can order them to leave us alone whenever I want!"

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. Let's compromise. We can do part of the journey south on Appa and part on your ship."

"Fine," Zuko said. "We'll travel on Appa south as far as Crescent Island, where the Fire Temple is. From there, we take my ship."

"It's only a day's journey to Crescent Island," Katara argued. "That's less than half the trip. It will take at least three more days by ship to the South Pole."

"Which will be faster and more comfortable than if we spend another day getting there on Appa's back," Zuko said, frustrated. "What's your problem with taking the ship?"

Katara returned his glare. Zuko realized the disagreement had taken a domestic turn somewhere, but he dug in his heels and stared her down. A long, tense minute passed. Then she turned her head away. "Okay. We'll take the ship from Crescent Island."

Zuko nodded. He turned to the rest of the group. "Anyone else have a problem with the plan?"

Sokka, Toph and Suki shook their heads innocently. Were they trying not to laugh at him? Zuko grunted. "We leave before dawn tomorrow," he ordered. "Everyone get some rest." Suki saluted and Toph and Sokka did start to laugh, but Katara scowled at him, so he scowled back and stormed off to his tent. Before he went to sleep, he sent his messenger hawk out with a request that Yin meet him at Roku's Island, with his ship and a lot of fur-lined clothes.

* * *

They left for Roku's island the next morning before the sun was even out, hoping to get a head start on a long travel day. Zuko was still angry at her, so Katara took the first shift at Appa's reins and decided to ride out his bad mood. He was, she reasoned, allowed to be human. Anyway, she was irritated with him too. Of course it made perfect sense to travel on the ship instead of on Appa, but she wasn't sure she was ready for Sokka, Suki and Toph to see her and Zuko interact together as Fire Lord Zuko and "Lady Katara." She imagined Toph's reaction to Ting Ting. The way the scene played out in her mind made her cringe. Why couldn't they just have taken Appa the whole way?

But by the time Katara handed the reins over to Suki, the sun was getting high in the sky and she had worried herself out. Zuko had cooled off enough to let her sit down beside him. "Thought you were angry at me," he muttered, his body stiff and his arms crossed.

"I kind of am," Katara said, wrapping her arms around his chest and yawning. He sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. "But this a milestone," she said, cuddling closer. "The first of many stupid fights that I hope we will have about many stupid things."

Zuko grunted, but he settled down into the saddle and she could feel some of the tension in his body ease. She dozed off. When she woke up, it was to the sound of a low conversation – Zuko talking quietly to Sokka. Katara let the sound drift into her ears, Sokka's deep voice and Zuko's smooth voice blending with the steady muted beating of Zuko's heart as she nuzzled into his chest. A feeling of safety floated like mist around her.

"What do you have to be nervous about?" Sokka was saying. "You've met our dad before."

"Yeah," Zuko said. "But as the Fire Lord. Not as the guy making out with his daughter."

Sokka laughed. "Dad likes you. It's hard not to like a guy that helps your son break you out of a high security prison. He's going to be fine with you and Katara together. Trust me. If I were you, it's Gran Gran I'd worry about. She holds grudges like Katara."

"Hey," Katara said groggily, trying to come out of her sleep daze. "I have been known to get over things."

Zuko and Sokka both chuckled. The safe feeling tugged at her heart. Zuko squeezed his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. It felt like he was saying: "I'm sorry for being a royal pain," so Katara decided to forgive him for being one and let it go.

"So what's the plan when we get to the South Pole?" Zuko asked.

Katara looked at Sokka, but he just looked back at her. He had gotten out his boomerang and was tapping it against his hand. "This is your idea, Katara. What do you think we should do when we get there?"

Katara sat up. "I guess we should try to find the place where we first found Aang."

"That's going to be impossible," Sokka said, pointing the boomerang into the air. "The ice changes every year. We found Aang forever ago."

"Then we'll go back to the general location," Katara said.

"Will you remember where that is?" Zuko asked.

"Hopefully," Katara said, although she wasn't very confident she would.

Sokka grimaced. "I guess we don't have any better ideas. We'll just have to do the best we can to find it."

"We have a three-day journey to figure something better out," Katara reminded them. She looked into the sky. The clouds looked like cotton below them and she was reminded of the time Aang decided to jump into the clouds to see if they really felt as soft as they looked. He ended up all wet.

If Aang had been here, what would have been going on now? Suki was still at the reins. Toph was curled up asleep with Momo. Aang would have been sitting with her, Sokka and Zuko. She would have been with her brother and her boyfriend, and she'd have had her best friend too. She wouldn't have just felt safe. She'd have felt like there was nothing in the world that could stop them. She would have been with the people she loved most in the world. The ones she would have given her own life for.

"We have to find him," she added. She missed Aang. She missed her best friend.

* * *

Zuko took the last shift at the reins. Crescent Island came into view just before dusk.

"You're rebuilding the Fire Temple!" Sokka called from the saddle. "Looks like it's almost done."

"Yep," Zuko answered, looking at the construction project in the distance. "It's scheduled for completion this year."

"Are you really related to Roku?" Toph asked, leaning up over the saddle so she could talk to him.

"Great grandson," Zuko said. "On my mother's side."

"Huh. Then Aang is sort of your great grandfather, right?"

Zuko shrugged. "I try not to think about it." Not least of all, he thought, because Aang had kissed Katara a few times and Zuko didn't like the idea of sharing her with his great grandfather. Though he didn't exactly like the idea of sharing her with anyone that way.

"Do you have any new leads on your mother?" Suki asked, leaning over the saddle next to Toph.

"No," he said. "But I think about _that_ all the time."

Katara didn't say anything. It was uncharacteristic of her. He could almost hear her voice: "Don't give up, Zuko. You'll find her." So he turned back to look at his pretty waterbender girlfriend. She was slouched in the saddle and seemed lost in thought.

"Everything okay, Kat?" he asked.

When she didn't answer, Sokka scooted over to her.

"Katara?" He waved his hand in front of Katara's face. She looked at her brother annoyed. He waved his hand again.

"What?!" she snipped.

"You didn't answer Zuko, despite his use of a cute and popular nickname to get your attention."

"Sorry." Katara looked up at Zuko and gave him a half-smile. "Don't give up on finding your mom, Zuko."

Sokka looked back at Zuko and shrugged, as if to say: "No idea, man." But Toph sat back in the saddle, stretched out her legs and blew a stray hair away from her face.

"Relax, Sweetness," she said to Katara. "We'll all be on our best behavior on your boyfriend's ship."

Katara sank down even lower in the saddle and Zuko looked forward again. Katara had been acting distant ever since their conversation about the plan to find Aang once they reached the South Pole. He reasoned that she was probably worried about Aang. It had been over a week since their friend had disappeared, and his absence was taking a toll on everyone. It wasn't as easy any more to pretend that Aang was on a spirit trip or a giant lion turtle. It had been too long.

Zuko spotted the ship docked in the distance. "We're almost there."

"Zuko," Katara said suddenly, like she had just thought of something. He turned back around. She was sitting up straight now. "Is the inner sanctuary of the temple done yet?"

"I don't know," Zuko said. "Why?"

"Maybe you could talk to Avatar Roku in there."

"But Katara," Sokka interjected. "Even Aang was only able to use the temple for that on the solstice. And that was before Roku destroyed the temple."

"Zuko is Roku's blood relative," Katara said, "and Aang is in trouble. Roku might be willing to communicate with Zuko from the spirit world if he knows we're trying to help Aang."

Zuko began to guide Appa's descent down to the island's beach landing. He thought he could see Yin standing on the ship's upper deck. "I don't know very much about communicating with the spirit world," he said, thinking about Katara's suggestion out loud, "but I can try."

"Your uncle might be able to help. Maybe it would make taking the ship from here worth it." Her voice was glum again. Zuko glanced over his shoulder at her one more time. She was looking out at the ship too. She didn't look happy to see it.

They landed and Zuko slid off Appa's nose to the ground. "Don't worry, there are benefits in this for you, too," he said to the bison, as he watched Yin, Ting Ting and a host of others make their way to the Gaang. "That barge for you is going to be full of straw and cabbages."

Sokka jumped down next to him. "Appa, buddy, we love you, but I'm with Zuko on this." He eyed the sizable ship. "Don't tell Aang, okay?" Appa yowled.

Katara was last off. Zuko offered her a hand but she refused it, sliding down on her own instead. Then she stood frozen, watching the crew get closer. Zuko scratched his head, watching her and trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Hey, if alone time is that important, I'm sure we can arrange to have you and Zuko locked in a room together 'accidentally,' " Sokka tried to joke. Katara just stared forward. What was wrong? Why did she look like she was facing impending doom?

"That's not what she's worried about, Sokka," Toph said, her voice low and annoyed as they all stood waiting for Zuko's people to arrive. Zuko watched Katara nervously, but Toph punched her lightly in the shoulder. "You've got this, Sugar Queen. Just be your regular, bossy self." Katara nodded, squared her shoulders and picked up her head. It looked almost like she was putting on a different persona.

Which, he realized, she was.

That was the first time it occurred to him that she had to put any effort at all into looking the part – of the Fire Lord's girlfriend.

* * *

Katara was tired. She was on the ship, in the same suite she'd been in before. Ting Ting had cleared everyone out so Katara could have some space, and she felt like she was breathing normally again for the first time in hours.

It was strange, she thought, how the small crowd that had gathered to greet them at the ship made her feel. When she and Aang went places, people always came out to see them. Sometimes the crowds were huge and Katara wasn't shy. But with Zuko there was so much decorum, even on this ship, where the people on deck were the crew, staff, some diplomats and others who had been on the ship a week ago. It was all intimidating.

For Zuko, this was familiar, but for her, it was not. She was not used to the way Ting Ting greeted her and immediately started _briefing_ her on the chef's plans for a homecoming banquet at the South Pole, on Pin's request that she meet him tomorrow morning to look at some fabric samples, and on the fact that several crew members had come down with some kind of pox and were hoping she could see them.

She was not used to the procession onto the ship – how Zuko said "Walk with me?" softly with a 'please' in the tone of his voice and Toph still needed to give her a shove – and how then she and Zuko walked up onto the landing ramp together. She was not used to how the little crowd closed in after they'd arrived on deck, and she found herself swept away from Zuko to kiss cheeks and be kissed and hold hands, and she did _try_, but even _she_ couldn't remember all those names.

It was energizing and exhausting, and it was bittersweet to think of how she might have joked with Aang about it if he had been here. But then, Aang overshadowed her. Not intentionally. He couldn't help that he was the Avatar. Just she wouldn't ever experience this with Aang, only Zuko. Which, when she thought about it, didn't make sense. Shouldn't she also have been overshadowed by the Fire Lord? Why did standing next to Zuko make it feel like there was bright light shining on her?

He was the one who eventually saved her from the crowd, making his way back through to her like he was parting water and then guiding her out on his arm to Ting Ting, who quickly shuttled her away to her suite, but not before she saw Sokka and Suki looking at her like she'd sprouted wings and Toph just grinning and giving her a thumbs up.

Her people (she couldn't think of them as her "staff" anymore) were amazing. By the time she got to the suite, they had already finished unpacking for her and drawing her a bath. In no time at all, she was cleaned up and in fresh silk robes (a beautiful shade of blue except for the pockets, which were lined in red, courtesy of Pin she was sure). Somehow it was comforting to allow Ting Ting and Asara to take care of her. She didn't associate her people with the crowd that had overwhelmed her. Still, she did need space and time to herself, and they had already learned to give it to her.

Now at last she was alone, and she stood looking out a window at the water and letting the sound of the waves soothe her.

There was a hesitant knock on her door. When she didn't answer, the door cracked open behind her.

"Ting Ting, thanks, but I don't need anything else," Katara said absently, still staring out at the water.

"It's me." She spun around. It was Zuko. He stood in the doorway. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Katara watched him come in and shut the door behind him. He looked like he had cleaned up too, and it would have made him very kissable except that he seemed so serious. "How did you make it past everyone?" Katara asked.

Zuko shrugged. "People in the Fire Nation tend to let the Fire Lord go wherever he wants." He looked at her, his face concerned. "I should have warned you this is how it would be. You're not used to it."

Great. So she _had_ looked as nervous as she'd felt. She sat down on a bench by the window. "You never had to warn Mai about anything, did you?" she said, the question slipping out and betraying her lack of confidence before she could take it back.

Zuko stood stock-still. She clenched her jaw. She could almost feel the charge in the air between them. "Are you worried about that?" he asked, his voice even. Too even.

"No," Katara lied. She fingered the soft fabric of her robes. "I don't know. Maybe. Mai didn't have anything to learn, did she? She was at the palace all the time." Katara didn't like feeling insecure, and the words came out like poison on her tongue.

Zuko sat down next to her on the bench. "Mai was jealous of you."

"She was?" Katara asked, startled. "Why?"

"Probably because I talked a lot about you," Zuko said sheepishly. Katara frowned. He continued on. "You wrote about all the places you and Aang were going. She wanted that. The Caldera made her feel trapped and bored. She needed freedom more than she needed me."

"Zuko!" Katara said. "That's terrible!"

"Nah," he said, looking down. "I don't think we would have been happy later. She had to go out into the world and search for passion. I never had to search for something to be passionate about, and I always wanted to return home."

Katara took his hand. He had long graceful fingers. She'd noticed before, but for the first time she identified them as princely. Regal. It had been generations since anyone in his family line had needed thick hands to use to fish or work the earth.

"You did return home. You took your rightful place on the throne."

His mouth fell into a grim line. "Listen, Katara. I should have warned you. It is different with you than it was with Mai. You didn't grow up at the Palace, or in the Caldera, or even in the Fire Nation."

Katara felt her stomach drop. She wasn't Fire Nation. She was Water Tribe. Would that ultimately mean she and Zuko were unmatched? Was the Fire Lord even _allowed_ to date someone outside the Fire Nation?

"As soon as news hits the public in the Fire Nation that you and I are – a thing – there's going to be a reaction. If it hasn't already happened."

Tears started welling up in her eyes, and she hated herself for it. It had only been a few days. She shouldn't have been stupid enough to start imagining Zuko in her long-term plans. At the same time, this relationship wasn't a few days old, was it? Wasn't this built on…everything? Rivalry, redemption, forgiveness, action, respect, affection, sacrifice, trust. None of that had come recently. This wasn't newborn infatuation. This was hard-won. Should she be stupid enough to question her own instincts? Why now did she feel so cold? Why was _his_ hand so cold?

"I would understand," Zuko's voice wavered, and the way he said it made a fearful shiver creep through her, "if you wanted to walk away – from me – after we find Aang."

"I'm a waterbender." Katara turned so Zuko couldn't see the first treacherous tear fall. "Not a firebender."

Zuko gave a short, terse laugh. "Yeah, I know." A second tear fell. A third. Katara cursed herself for hurting so bad. She heard Zuko take a deep breath next to her, and she tried to take a deep breath of her own to hold back a stream of tears. Her throat choked off the air she needed.

"What if I don't want to walk away?" she asked, her voice pitching higher than normal. "Would I create a problem for you, as the Fire Lord?"

Zuko froze next to her. "A problem?" he asked, his voice echoing her own confusion. "For me?" She turned back to him. He looked afraid. "No, Katara, you're not a problem for me at all. I'm the problem for you."

"What?" she asked, her eyes searching his for an explanation.

Zuko sighed. "I didn't do a good job saying any of this." He shook his head. "Katara, all they'll be able to talk about in my nation is you. They'll go crazy. You saved my life. My people already love you."

"You saved _my_ life," she heard herself say numbly. _Zuko never gets his message right the first time_, she heard her own voice echo in the back of her head. _He never gets it right the first time._

"That makes them love you more," Zuko said, giving her a small, lopsided smile. "Look, this is only the start. You set foot in Capital City and people will say we're secretly engaged. Everyone who is anyone in the Caldera will want to meet you. The historical committee will receive even more requests to approve monuments of you imprisoning Azula in ice. Pin will start planning your wedding dress. Uncle will start naming our kids. Hell, he might start naming our grandkids."

He was rambling. His face was more pale than normal. He looked even more terrified and vulnerable than she felt, his eyes wide, his mouth slightly open to accommodate shallow breathing.

"Wouldn't it be easier for you if I weren't a waterbender?" she asked cautiously.

"No," he said firmly, though he glanced away. "The opposite. The Fire Nation needs political alliances. A marriage between the Fire Lord and the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe would send a clear message to the rest of the world that the Fire Nation is out of the business of attacking other countries. Not," he said quickly, catching her eye again, "that _I_ would ever see us that way. If that…if you ever wanted…to get married…to…if that was ever what you wanted…"

Warmth was spreading back into Katara's body. She touched his face with her hand and turned him to her carefully. "Then why are you trying to tell me to walk away from you, Zuko? Do you think I might need freedom more than I need you?"

There were tears in _his_ eyes. One of Zuko's strengths, she reflected. That he didn't shield himself from pain. He always faced it head on.

"I can't have a vacation home at the South Pole," he said.

That's what this was about? It wasn't about her not adapting quickly enough to being at the side of the leader of the Fire Nation? He thought she might not want him enough to give up a life in the Water Tribe? He thought she might _love_ him enough?

It was her turn to give him a lopsided smile. "Zuko," she said gently. "Haven't you been paying attention to my story this whole time? I fight when the odds are against me. I believe when there is no hope left. I _never_ turn my back on people who need me, and I kind of have a talent for finding people who need me. I'm not defined by a place. I'm defined by the things I believe in and the people I love. I'm going to be me no matter where I call home, even if it isn't the South Pole. Or the North Pole."

His eyes searched hers frantically to validate the truth. She let him look and she didn't wipe away the tears coming down – hers or his. It was one of her strengths too, she realized. That she didn't shield herself from the things she was afraid of.

So how fast does blood rush? How fast does fire spread? How many seconds was it before his fingers were tangled in her hair? Before she was gasping for air? Before he carried her back to the room with the bed? Before she could feel his skin against her chest?

How long before she said "late, we're going to be late" and he said "they'll wait"? It could all just _wait_. And how could she compare the shivers of fear she'd felt at the thought that he was discarding her to the shivers of pleasure he was creating with well-placed caresses and cathartic breaths? How long until there wasn't a place that was "too far" anymore? How long before they wouldn't stop each other – and, spirits, she didn't _want_ to stop him now – anymore?


	18. Chapter 17 - Family

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Zuko felt different. His chest hummed with something warm and terrifying. It made him want to do things, like help her fasten her mother's necklace on again, smooth her robes down from her neck to her shoulders and watch her carefully comb out the tangles he'd left in her hair.

"How do I look?" she asked, checking her appearance in the mirror for signs of haste.

"Like you just had a clandestine encounter with the Fire Lord," he said, leaning casually against the wall next to the mirror. Katara's cheeks flushed.

"Come on, Zuko," she said, turning to him. "We're already late. I don't also need to look like your courtesan."

He scowled, thinking about the ways he might deal with someone who thought of Katara in any such way. A glimmer of a smile appeared on her face.

"I'm not _that_ worried about it." She leaned over to brush a clump of hair out of his eyes, then she touched the scarred part of his face, tracing the outline before she covered his cheek with her hand. "I can't really imagine you any other way." His stomach clenched, but her eyes steadied on his. "If you want, though, we could go to the spirit oasis at the North Pole someday and I could try to fix this."

He sucked in a deep breath at the offer. Zuko didn't normally give a great deal of thought to his physical appearance. The subject was unpleasant. He assumed his scar rendered him frightening at worst and ugly at best. He never considered what he would look like without it. It was better not to think about it at all.

Still, he experienced a brief moment of insecurity, and he was back again in that cave at Ba Sing Se with her. Katara, the peasant girl who'd helped the Avatar evade him for months, was offering him, her arch enemy, compassion and hope. At that crossroad, if he had chosen good – if he had trusted her like she had trusted him – what would have happened? What force had intervened to give him a second chance now? Her face was so open and honest. Sometimes when he looked at her, all he could see was pure good. "Would you like it better-"

"No!" she said sharply. "Just…does it hurt? Is the pain still there?"

He put his hand over hers on his face and pressed it there. "No," he said, the warm, terrifying thing in his chest aching. "It marks who I am and who I need to be to bring peace to my country and help Aang keep balance in the world. I don't think I'd be the same without it. Even if the scar is an ugly reminder."

Katara kissed him gently. Then she turned his face in her hand and kissed his cheek, her lips falling on the scar. "It's not ugly on you, Zuko," she said. "Trust me. Nothing about you is ugly."

He would have endured any scar for her.

Dinner was served in a private dining room reserved only for Zuko and his guests. The windowless room was candlelit, and the light danced in the dark shadows of the small space. Fire Nation flags hung from the walls to the right and left of the entrance, and a collection of antique weaponry adorned the back wall. The table was low and the cushions on the floor made the room comfortable and casual.

It was common for Zuko's dinner guests to include Yin and Iroh, and he often took his meals alone. Tonight, however, Uncle Iroh was napping and Yin had declined Zuko's invitation to join, so it was Sokka, Suki and Toph sitting at the table when he and Katara came in. The conversation stopped when they opened the door. Sokka and Suki looked at each other, sharing knowing glances, and Zuko prepared for the worst.

"Where have you two been?" Sokka drawled.

Katara made an annoyed sound. "Where do you think we've been, Sokka? Are those fried dumplings? I'm starving." Zuko smirked while their friends laughed and Katara tugged him down to the table. His robes overlapped with hers on the cushions, and the intimacy startled him. He rested his forearm on the edge of the table, against hers, craving the connection. She reached for a tray of food, picked a dumpling up with her chopsticks, took a bite and let him have the rest. He expected another jab from Sokka, but Katara's brother refrained from additional comment, giving them a satisfied look instead.

Suki asked about the design of the ship, and they fell into an easy conversation about how Zuko had commissioned the ship, the team he had hired to design it, and so on. Sokka and Katara teased him for the ship's "dramatic flare."

"Take this room, for example," Sokka said. "Very dark. Very ominous. Very Fire Nation."

Zuko looked around at the flags. "Thanks."

Katara grinned mischievously. "It _is_ nice, Zuko. Does it double as a torture chamber?"

"Only for you, Kitten," he retorted. He took pleasure in the rose blush that crept up her neck at that and the way Toph almost choked on a fried dumpling laughing.

"So the rumors about the Fire Lord are true!" she cried. Katara gave her a death glare, flicked her wrist out and iced Toph's mouth over with her tea. Toph alternated between laughing silently and protesting wordlessly after that, while Katara tried valiantly to avoid looking at him. But he was still buzzing from earlier – the carnal part of him wanted her to feel the same – and he _noticed_ the curiosity in her eyes when she caught his gaze again. He felt his brow slant down and he wickedly let his lip curl up while he thought – as her blush deepened and spread in the most appealing way – that the rumor mill had never served him so well.

Sokka was interested in the swords on the wall. Zuko got up to take them down while they waited for the cook staff to bring in the main course. He tossed one of the swords to Sokka, who caught it with one hand and immediately started a play fight with Zuko. The girls obligingly shrieked when Zuko jumped up on the table, and they cracked up when Sokka jumped after him. Zuko was agile and he drew his physical strength from his core. Sokka was meaty and muscular, and he landed loudly on the table, shaking the plates and cups. He pointed his sword at Zuko, and shouted: "Defend your woman, you Fire Nation scoundrel!"

"Defend yours, Water Tribe swine!" Zuko countered, lithely dodging Sokka's blows while Toph rolled over on her side, clutching her rib cage, and Suki and Katara went into hysterics. Sokka had improved considerably since the last time they'd sparred, and once or twice he nearly bested Zuko. When they set down the swords a few minutes later, Sokka grinned cheekily at Zuko.

"We need more space," he said, landing next to Suki. "How about a real match tomorrow?"

"It's been a while since I worked with anyone who had real talent," Zuko agreed, sitting back down by Katara. "How do you think you'd do against twin broadswords?"

"Hey!" Toph said. "Did anyone notice? This is the first time we've tried a one-on-one match since the storm, and no one lost any strength."

Sokka flexed his biceps, then he put his arm around Suki. "It wasn't bending, Toph," he said, "and I hardly think Zuko was flirting with me." He winked and blew a kiss at Zuko as if to test the idea.

Katara looked sideways at Zuko with a glance that said: "please don't kill my brother," so Zuko just rolled his eyes and snarled harmlessly, allowing smoke to curl out with his breath. He leaned back casually, supporting his weight with his arms.

Katara scooted so that she could rest back against him and quietly whispered: "you think you're so bad." He nuzzled his cheek to her temple, feeling freer than he had in ages.

"Maybe we're thinking about it wrong," Toph said. "You weren't flirting, but you also weren't really fighting."

"Of course not," Sokka scoffed. "That was just goofing around."

"Exactly," Toph said. "You were playing. Like family would." Zuko looked around at everyone. There was an air of calm in the room. Suki and Sokka rested easily against each other. Toph was leaning to the side with her elbows on the cushions. The feeling in Zuko's chest was still warm, though less terrifying. He shifted so he could bring his arm around Katara's chest, she hooked her arm around his, and it felt like they were breathing together.

"We are family," Zuko acknowledged, nodding at Sokka and Suki while Katara reached out to give Toph's hand a squeeze. "But this isn't everyone."

"To Aang," Sokka said raising a glass in a toast to their lost friend. Their lost family. "Come home, buddy."

* * *

By the time dinner was over, it was late and Katara was exhausted. She was sitting with Zuko, Sokka was trying to arm-wrestle Toph and the whole room felt engulfed in warmth. It would have been perfect, if only…

_Aang, where are you?_ Katara thought.

Suki covered a yawn, and Katara followed with a yawn of her own. Suki stretched and lightly tapped the top of Katara's foot with hers. "Too many late nights recently?"

"Well what's your excuse?" Katara replied.

Sokka howled, his arm shaking while Toph grinned, barely breaking a sweat and pushing Sokka's arm down to the table with gusto for a third time. Suki pointed her thumb in their direction. Katara laughed, she felt Zuko laughing with her, and the synchronicity delighted her. Suki was right, though. Katara _had_ been staying up too late recently, mostly courtesy of Zuko.

She wasn't complaining. The thrill of being consumed by him wasn't something she wanted to fade. At the same time, there were things she was doing that were surprising her – ways she was giving herself over to Zuko like she'd never done with anyone else. Some of it was emotional, opening her heart to him like a book, letting him know he wasn't the only one who had done the math on what something this strong could mean for the future. Some of it was physical, giving him access to her body with trust and without shame or fear. It was good, but it was a lot to take in, and she wanted to savor it all appropriately. So tonight, Katara decided, would be a smart night for her to avoid another secret rendezvous with the Fire Lord.

She turned to kiss Zuko and was thankful for the private dinning room and their friends' tolerance of their new romance. "I'm going to bed," she said. His eyes asked why, but she kissed him again and he released her from his hold. She stood up and looked around the room. "You guys should try to get some rest too."

"What? Why?" Sokka asked, finally giving in to total defeat by a victorious Toph.

"Because we need to get up early tomorrow morning to get to the Avatar temple before we set sail again," Katara reminded him.

"Katara's right," Suki said through another yawn. "It's been a long day. We should turn in."

"But I'm not tired," Sokka whined.

Zuko stood up too. "I'm not tired yet either. How about an after dinner drink, Sokka?" he asked. "I have some good whiskey on board."

"Sure," Sokka agreed enthusiastically.

"Toph?" Zuko asked. Sokka stood and slung his arm around Zuko's shoulder. Suki started shaking her head, while Katara thought she sometimes forgot that Zuko and Sokka were really only over-grown boys. She wondered what Zuko would have been like if he hadn't needed to shoulder so much responsibility so early.

"Come on, Toph," Sokka said, encouraging her. "You can be an honorary bro."

Their blind friend cocked her head to the side and her eyes turned toward Zuko and Sokka like she could see both boys and was considering the prospect. "Nah," she said after a few seconds. "Don't get me wrong, fellows. Normally when two extremely attractive men ask me to drink with them, I say okay. But I usually end up beating the guys both into a pulp at the end of the night, and I wouldn't want to turn you two gentlemen over to Katara and Suki like that tomorrow morning."

"Have it your way," Zuko said, raising his hands in the air but smiling while Sokka pretended to brush dust off his shoulders and said, "Extremely attractive, huh?"

As a result, Katara, Toph and Suki ended up walking back to their rooms together while Zuko and Sokka went off on their own. Once the guys were out of ear shot, Toph turned on Suki and Katara. "We're not really going to sleep, are we?" she asked.

"Ooh, you want a girl's night?" Suki said.

To Katara's horror, Toph's smile widened. "If what you mean is do I want Katara to dish about her steamy romance with Zuko? Then yes please. Please please please."

"Toph, there's nothing to tell," Katara lied.

Toph jumped and punched her fist in the air. "I knew it! You are a terrible liar, Sugar Cakes!"

Suki grabbed her arm. "Katara, please?" she pleaded. "We've barely had any real girl time. We're dying here."

Katara rolled her eyes. "I thought you were tired!"

"Not that tired."

Katara reluctantly led them to her suite. Ting Ting, Asara and two other women from Katara's staff materialized as though they'd known Katara was coming, and before she could even ask, trays of tea and dessert were being brought in, and extra cushions were being arranged around the evening refreshments. Katara spoke with Ting Ting, updating her on their plans for the next morning, while Asara gave Toph and Suki a tour of the rooms in the suite.

It wasn't until Toph and Suki returned from the tour, looking like they were both trying to keep straight faces, though, that Katara thought of the rumpled state in which she and Zuko had left the bed. Well it was _her_ bed – and the implication wasn't exactly obvious: some people just napped hard – but she felt her face get hot anyway and prepared to face the firing squad.

"It's gorgeous in here!" Suki said. "Incredible really. I thought the suite I was in was luxurious, but this is, like-"

"Like part of the Fire Lord's private rooms," Toph said, also awed. "I don't know why I didn't expect that, but wow. He's even more protective of you than I thought, Katara. And that bed! How many pillows does one person need?"

Katara felt confused on multiple levels. "The bed-" she started weakly. "Pillows?"

Ting Ting put her hand on Katara's arm lightly. "I hope you don't mind, Lady Katara. I had the bedding turned down for you earlier."

Katara nodded numbly, and Ting Ting smiled at her, a subtle twinkle in her eye. "It's such a pleasure to serve on your private staff, Lady Katara." She turned to head out of the room. "I hope you and your friends have an enjoyable evening. Please call if you need anything."

Suki and Toph were already pouring tea when Katara sat down with them. As soon as the door to the suite clicked closed and they were alone, the two girls pounced.

Toph started. "You move fast," she said, grinning wide.

Katara ignored her and ate one of the truffles. Maybe her relationship with Zuko was moving fast. Toph wouldn't have known, but much of what she and Zuko had been doing earlier was rather…indulgent. But then again, she had the feeling that they had both been holding back an unspoken physical attraction for a long time. So in that sense, they were slow on the uptake.

"Seriously," Toph continued. "Do you realize you're being handled like the next Fire Lady? I bet that Yin guy has a subcommittee planning security for your wedding already."

"Don't be ridiculous, Toph," Katara scoffed.

Suki handed her a cup of tea. "I don't think she is being ridiculous. Did you even realize these were part of his personal quarters?"

Katara shook her head. "I don't think they are. They _are_ normally reserved for the Fire Lady or Fire Princess, though." She blushed again saying it.

Toph laughed, took a chocolate truffle from the tray of desserts and sniffed it before biting in. "Nope," she said, her mouth full of chocolate. "You're wrong. I can see the connector doors. You just don't know what to look for. Or behind. This is part of a whole set of private quarters, probably designed to accommodate the Fire Lord's immediate family. Which, apparently, he would like for you to be a part of. Because there are plenty of other very nice suites on this ship."

"I don't think they all have gold-gilded bathtubs, though," Suki laughed. "That's probably unique."

Katara closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "Zuko just wanted me close when he first brought me here because I was so badly injured."

Suki grabbed her hands. "Katara, he does want you close. Because he's in love with you."

Was he in love with her? He'd never said "I love you" and she hadn't said it to him either. Was that kind of exchange something they should be having? Did she need to hear him say "I love you" when she'd seen him put his own life on the line in front of hers?

Toph propped some cushions up so she could lean against them. "I agree with Suki. I thought he had a crush on you back when we were kids, but now he's serious about you."

"If he had a crush on me then, I never noticed," Katara said sourly, irritated that Toph and Suki seemed to think they knew more about the feelings that existed between her and Zuko than she did. "And I know he's serious about me now. So why are we talking about this?"

Toph and Suki both laughed again.

"Because the real question is: how do you feel about him?" Suki asked.

"Yeah Katara. He's in love with you. Are you in love with him?" Toph asked.

Was she in love with him? Was that how she should label the desire she had to draw close to him? Was it what had made her fight for him years before? Were these even the right questions? She had the feeling that neither she nor Zuko needed to know whether one loved the other. Not now. At this point, wasn't the important question: "what are you going to do about it?" Somehow, Katara didn't want to involve anyone but Zuko in the answer to that question.

She flopped back into the cushions. "This is so childish. I can't believe I'm letting you guys keep me up. I could be sleeping. In that nice fluffy bed with all those nice fluffy pillows."

"Is that a no?" Suki asked, scandalized.

"No!"

"So is it a yes?"

Katara paused. Toph grinned while Suki began giggling uncontrollably. "Oh, Katara," Toph said. "Your heart is such a complete giveaway."

Katara threw one of the cushions at Toph, and she threw Toph and Suki out shortly after. She needed sleep and sweet dreams. Preferably of Zuko. Not of Toph or Suki. Though as she was drifting to sleep a while later it did occur to her that it would be nice to dream about what things might have been like if Zuko's teenage crush had been real.

* * *

Zuko sort of wished he hadn't stayed up late after dinner drinking that bottle of whiskey with Sokka while all the girls went to bed. (Cue outtake: Zukka Drinking Buddies.) Sokka was an over-emotional drunk and Zuko was prone to emotional outbursts by nature. Now he had a hangover and an awkward feeling that Sokka might have cried on his shoulder last night about Aang, and that maybe he had shed tears over their bald friend's disappearance as well.

Nevertheless, Zuko was up before dawn the next morning per the group's agreement to visit the Avatar temple before setting sail for the South Pole. Katara handed him a cup of tea when he found her at breakfast in the ship's large dining gallery. She had a weary look on her face, and she bit her lip when she saw him like she was concerned. Or like she was trying not to laugh at him. He wasn't sure which.

"It's your Uncle's elixir," she said in a low voice as he took the tea. "Sokka needed two. But, um, thanks for trying to bond with my brother last night."

Zuko grunted an acknowledgment and downed the tea. Sokka, who was sitting at a table staring into a bowl of rice porridge, looked worse than he felt. "More?" Katara asked, running her hand soothingly across Zuko's shoulders.

"You shouldn't mother me," Zuko said, guiltily avoiding her eyes.

She raised her eyebrows and took the tea cup from him again. "Believe me, Zuko," she said, refilling the cup and handing it back, "_You_ I do not _mother_."

Zuko sat down across from Sokka. Sokka said "hey" but didn't bother to hold up his head. Suki sat down next to Zuko. "Zuko," she said, putting her hand on his arm. "No offense or anything, but I think Aang's in charge of Sokka's bachelor party."

"No swords. No whiskey. Monk wisdom. No fun." Sokka complained. He picked up his head and held out his fist toward Zuko. Zuko had no idea what Sokka was trying to do. "Come on, man," he said. "Don't let Sokka down."

"Don't worry, Sparky, I'll handle Sokka's stag party for you," Toph said, sitting down on Zuko's other side and setting a bowl of porridge in front of him. "Maybe we can make it a dou-"

Katara iced Toph's mouth over again with tea and a sly smile. Then she poured Sokka more of Uncle's elixir and sat down next to Sokka across from him, Toph and Suki. Sokka groaned and put his head down on his arms.

"Pull yourself together, Sokka," Zuko ordered, sitting up straight and looking around to see who might be watching. The Fire Lord could have a hangover. It just had to be kept a secret.

Katara crossed her arms too, gave Sokka a light jab with her elbow and gave Toph the kind of glare Zuko was famous for. Which made him smile at Katara. Which made her smile back at him. And then Zuko was feeling miraculously refreshed by Uncle's tea or maybe just by seeing Katara first thing in the morning. "Sun will be up soon," he said. "We should get to the temple before then."

"Do you really think you'll be able to communicate with Roku?" Suki asked.

Zuko shrugged. "I have no idea. But Uncle said he'd come and try to help us."

"Your Uncle is the most bad-ass spiritual guru I've ever met," Toph said.

"Yep," Zuko said. "And no one makes tea like he does."

They took Appa the short trip from the ship to the temple, and managed to get there before the sun was up. The temple's reconstruction was not complete, and although most of the basic structure was built up, even the fire sages had not yet reoccupied the building. Zuko and the rest of the group were met by a few construction workers, along with Uncle Iroh, who had arrived with Yin via mongoose lizard. Yin waited outside with the lizards, while the rest of the group walked inside the building together. In the gray darkness before the dawn, the temple was dark.

"Lord Zuko," Uncle said, pointing to the unlit sconces on the walls. Zuko sent fire rushing along the curved around the circular walls, traveling up through the temple and lighting the sconces one-by-one.

"Why wasn't I born with freaky magic skills?" Sokka complained.

"Was that a rhetorical question?" Toph asked.

They passed through empty door frames, by roped off sections and up stairs. The place had an empty, lifeless feel, even with the sconces lit. Katara took his hand. "I can't believe the last time Sokka and I were here, you were still trying to capture Aang," she said quietly as they walked.

"Story of my life," Zuko said glumly, remembering back.

"The story of your life has hardly begun," Katara said comfortingly. "Anyway, I was thinking it's amazing how much rebuilding you've done."

Zuko held her hand close to his heart. "Thanks Katara," he said.

The top of the sanctuary wasn't walled in yet and the new statue of Roku hadn't been brought in, so when they got to the sanctuary it felt like they had stepped out onto a partially-covered roof deck. The island's mountain tops were illuminated by the red haze of impending dawn.

"It's beautiful," Suki said, and the others murmured their agreement.

"The sun is about to rise," Uncle said. "It is time to begin the meditation." He arranged the group in a circle and showed them how to sit.

Uncle sat down with them. "Zuko is the only blood relative," he said, tugging thoughtfully on his beard. "But we all seek a connection to the Avatar. It may be that our collective spiritual essence will draw the Avatar to us, or boost Zuko's connection to Roku. We will all join the meditation. Now everyone, clear your mind."

Zuko imagined his mind clearing. He let the events of the past few days slip away from him and the troubles on his mind fade.

"Focus on your breath. Breathe in slowly. Breathe out. Breathe in. Let the breath go. With every breath in, you ground your body to the earth. With every breath out, you free your spirit. When you are ready, draw your thoughts to the Avatar. Imagine reaching out to him. You may wish to imagine him as Aang, or in one of his other forms. Breathe in. Breathe out."

Zuko focused on Aang. The early memories came first. He had so many of the twelve-year-old kid who had evaded him for so long. He saw Aang fighting him, Aang flying away from him, Aang asking "do you think we could have been friends too?" He saw Aang in the Avatar state – one of the most truly awesome and terrifying things Zuko had ever witnessed – and then Aang's body lit up by Azula's lightning and Katara holding the boy in her arms, her face holding so much pain.

"Your focus must be on the Avatar," he heard Uncle's voice say, and Zuko brought his attention back to Aang himself. Better memories: Aang accepting him into his group. Aang holding the little piece of the original fire. Aang dancing with him and the dragon masters. Aang training with him. Aang meeting him at the Fire Palace. "And now we're friends," he had said, and they _were_ friends. Life-long friends hopefully.

Aang at 13, still the prankster. Aang at 14, challenging Zuko to duel the fire juggler at the festival when he visited. Aang at 15, talking about a girl he'd met. Aang at 16, taller than Zuko. Aang at the Northern Air Temple. "If you want to make sure you still have a place in the universe you have to figure out how to keep those friendships."

_Aang,_ Zuko thought, _where are you?_ But Aang did not appear. Zuko's eyes opened momentarily. He was still in Roku's quiet sanctuary. He could hear Katara's soft breath next to him. Daylight was breaking through the clouds. Zuko had always liked the first moments of daybreak, which felt to him like the world granting him a fresh start each day. The temple was positioned high on the mountain, so that the sun would reach it before anything else on the island. Perhaps Avatar Roku had enjoyed the first rays of daybreak too.

Roku. Zuko closed his eyes again and shifted his thoughts to his great grandfather. He had seen statues of him, and he had seen him – in spirit – take over Aang's body at the Avatar temple years ago. Zuko tried not to flinch at the memory of Roku destroying his own temple. He tried to think of his mother and to imagine the blood connection between him and his great grandfather, the Avatar. He pictured the blood running back from him, through his mother, to the Avatar. He started to imagine Aang as Roku and Roku as Aang.

Zuko was unaware when his body separated from his spirit.


	19. Chapter 18 - Spirit

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks again to those of you who are still reading this fluffy little fantasy. Also thanks to everyone who has reviewed. And yes, I am young at heart.

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

"It's been too long," Sokka said. "I don't like this. They should be back by now."

Katara watched her brother. He had been pacing back and forth for an hour at least. Now he dropped down to his knees in front of Suki. She was in the same position she had been in when the meditation began that morning – sitting cross-legged with her hands in her lap and her eyes closed. Her breathing was shallow and she hadn't come out of the meditation yet. Sokka took her hands. "Suki, come back already. Come back to me. Please."

Fear curled up inside Katara like venom seeping through her blood. Toph was sitting next to her, holding her hand, grounding her to the temple floor so she wouldn't end up pacing like Sokka. Zuko's breath became sharp and she looked up fast while Toph tensed. Zuko was also in the same position he had been in when the meditation began, his eyes closed and his palms resting on his knees. Katara held her breath, hoping for his eyes to open, but then his breathing became shallow again and her shoulders drooped.

When Katara had opened her eyes after General Iroh ended the meditation, she was still in the Avatar temple. Sokka was sitting across from her, and the first thing she saw was him pointing excitedly to Zuko. The second thing she saw was Suki. Her eyes were shut and there was a barely visible glow around her. It didn't take long for them all to realize that the meditation had worked better than expected. Zuko was somewhere in the spirit world, and so was Suki.

At first, the surprise had been good. Hardly anything they had tried to find Aang had been successful. Now here they were, trying to reach out through the spirit world, and two members of their group had managed to get through. But as the day became long, and neither Zuko nor Suki returned to the physical world, everyone became nervous.

Toph groaned in frustration. "General Iroh," she said, turning to their meditation guru, "we've been here since dawn. The sun will be down again in a few hours. There has to be something we can do."

Iroh was sitting on a short stool, holding a cup of tea and watching his nephew intently. The lines on his grim face were etched deep and pulled down by the weight of gravity, and it struck Katara that Zuko's uncle was getting too old for this kind of worry.

He hung his head. "I am sorry, Master Beifong. There is nothing I can do. Once you enter the spirit world, you must find your way back to the physical world on your own."

Katara bit her thumb. If she focused, she could sense the blood flowing in Zuko and Suki, and it was already slowing down. It was as though their bodies weren't sure what to do with the blood without the will of their spirits. Should she voice the fear spreading through her heart? Would it do anyone any good to know?

She didn't have to make the decision. It turned out Toph had the same concern.

"But General Iroh," the girl said, "Zuko and Suki aren't like Aang, and I can hear their heartbeats getting slower. If their spirits don't come back soon, won't their bodies start to shut down too?"

General Iroh bowed his head. "The spirit survives without the body, but the body cannot live without the spirit. If the separation continues for too long, the body will die."

Sokka stood up, his mouth drawn out into a long line and his hands fisted into balls. "Suki is _not_ going to die. There has to be something we can do." He swung his boomerang out the open walls viciously.

Katara stood up and went to him. "Sokka." She put her hand on his shoulder. "We're all worried."

"Not like I am," Sokka said hoarsely.

"I understand-"

"You _don't_ understand," he shot back. "I can't lose Suki."

Katara wet her lips nervously. "I know she means a lot to you," she started to say, "but she's very strong and-"

Sokka cut her off. "_You don't know!_"

His eyes blazed with fury. Katara pulled her hand away and stepped back quickly, momentarily startled by the outburst.

Sokka dropped his head into his hands and groaned before picking his head back up. "I'm sorry Katara," he said, his voice firm but softer. "You don't know. You have this great thing going on with Zuko, and it's exciting and new and everyone thinks you're perfect for each other, and I'm really happy that you're figuring it all out. And I know Suki and I don't look like the couple with the epic romance right now, but to me, she's everything. I love her more than I love anyone or anything. I'd give my own life up for hers in a heartbeat. I cannot lose her. You can't possibly understand how that feels."

His shoulders caved in and he turned away.

Katara closed her eyes. She didn't doubt Sokka's pain. It was so palpable, she could almost feel it. But was he right? Did she have no comparison? Did his fear of losing Suki dwarf her fear of losing Zuko? What about Aang? His life had been at stake for days now.

Katara felt like she had plenty to lose. She was very worried. She was worried about Suki. She was worried about Zuko. She was worried about Aang. But it wasn't in her nature to give in to despair. Or at least she wasn't ready to accept the possibility of loss yet. Was that delusional on her part? Was there something wrong with her that she was still standing while Sokka had collapsed again to his knees?

She stepped back toward her brother so she could kneel down and wrap her arms around him. He closed his arm around her while he shook silently.

"You can't give up," she said. "Suki wouldn't give up. We just need to give them more time."

"Do you think they're together?" Toph asked, coming to kneel on Sokka's other side. Sokka put his other arm around Toph so that he was sandwiched between her and Katara.

"I don't know." Katara frowned. "I hope so."

* * *

Zuko was walking down a long marbled hallway. The corridor was narrow and the white marble floors and walls seemed brightly lit, though he couldn't find the source of the light.

Avatar Roku walked silently in front of him, his robes swishing behind. Zuko couldn't remember what had happened between this and the meditation at Roku's temple. He was just here suddenly, walking behind Roku. Or at least he assumed it was Roku. The Avatar had never actually turned to look him in the eye. All Zuko had to go off was the floor-length red robes reminiscent of the fire sages' robes and the white hair pinned up in a royal artifact Zuko recognized from real life.

Zuko had no idea how much time had passed. It seemed as though he had been walking for miles, but the hallway was always the same. He'd tried to catch up, but no matter how fast Zuko walked, Roku was always in front, walking just fast enough that he couldn't catch up. Except for the fact that Zuko's thoughts were completely clear, this seemed very much like a dream.

Zuko tried to talk to Roku again.

"Avatar Roku, where are we going?"

Roku didn't even turn around to acknowledge him. Zuko had lost track of the number of times he'd attempted to talk to the Avatar.

"Is it that you can't talk to me? Are you not allowed?"

No answer. Just walking. Zuko started talking out loud to fill the hallway with something other than the sound of their footsteps.

"I didn't think this would be possible," he started. "I've never been in the spirit world before. Did you hear me reaching out to you? Do you know where Aang is? Aang thought there was a dark spirit trying to take our bending away. Do you know anything about that? Is that why we can't find Aang? Did the dark spirit take him?"

They turned a corner. They hadn't turned a corner before. Was it symbolic of a turn in events?

"You are a part of Aang. Can you tell me where he is? If the dark spirit takes him, does it also take you? It seems like it's only following him, but then there was that village where there hadn't been any benders born in years. Are the two problems related? Can you tell me anything?"

Roku shifted his head just slightly, as if he wanted to look behind his shoulder.

"We think the spirit is stronger against an individual than a team or a family. I tried to contact you because I thought maybe I'd have a connection to you. Through blood. You're my great grandfather. Is that why you came to me? Is that why I'm here?"

Roku stopped, and Zuko found he couldn't move forward himself anymore.

"You're my mother's grandfather. Did you know her? Did you know she's missing too? Do you know where she is?"

At last, Zuko heard a voice other than his own: "Choose," it said in a deep, oldened undertone. Zuko looked at Roku in surprise. Had he just spoken?

"What?"

"Choose."

"Choose what?"

"_Choose_."

"Avatar Roku, I don't understand. Choose _what_?"

Avatar Roku swung around. A gush of wind swept his robes and hair back. His face was long, narrow and stern. His eyes were alive with fire. He lifted a strong arm and pointed at Zuko.

"Fire Lord Zuko, son of Ursa and Ozai, descendant of Sozin, descendant of Roku, you must choose."

"Choose what?!" Zuko yelled, struggling to make his voice audible over the sudden rush of the wind, and holding up his arms to block it from his face.

Roku's image began to change. He morphed into Aang, his arrows lit up but his eyes still bulbs of fire. Zuko was awed, but just when Aang's image had become clear, he began to change again. Now he was a woman with long hair, delicate hands, and a beautiful face. The only thing the Avatar shared with her was the fire blocking out her eyes.

"Choose," a voice he would have recognized anywhere said. "Zuko, choose."

Zuko felt tears in his eyes. "Mom?"

* * *

"Katara, can I talk to you?" Toph asked. It was dark and the temple was lit only by candlelight and the sconces Zuko had lit earlier in the day. Sokka was slumped next to Suki, his head hanging low in defeat. Iroh was snoring lightly on a mat. Katara had covered him with a blanket after he'd dozed off. Zuko's assistant, Yin, had taken care of making sure meals were brought up to the temple from the ship throughout the day, as well as sleeping rolls, mats and extra blankets. It was cold in the temple now, and Katara and Toph had wrapped blankets around Zuko and Suki as well.

"Sure Toph," Katara whispered. They stepped away from the others. "What is it?"

Toph shuffled her feet and wrapped the blanket she'd claimed tightly around her own shoulders. "Katara, I think you and Sokka need to leave tomorrow."

"_What?_"

Sokka looked up and Katara flinched. She hadn't meant to speak so loudly. She grabbed Toph by the elbow and dragged her out of Sokka's range of vision. "What?" she hissed again. "You want us to _leave_?"

"You have to find Aang, and I think you were right about going back to the South Pole. You and Sokka found Aang there originally. He sees you guys as the closest family members he has. I can stay here and guard Zuko and Suki, but you and Sokka have to go."

"No! Toph, we can't separate like that."

"We're already separated," Toph argued. "Zuko and Suki are somewhere we can't get to, and if there's a problem in the spirit world that's keeping them from getting back, then finding Aang's body could be our best chance at helping everyone."

Katara's heart sickened at the thought of asking Sokka to leave Suki. "Toph," she said, glancing back at him, "he'll never go. He'll never leave her."

Toph took Katara's hand. "Then you'll have to go alone. But you need to go as soon as there's light tomorrow. I don't know how long a body can survive without its spirit. They might not have more than a few days."

"I'm the healer," Katara protested. "I might be able to help them. I could extend the time they have."

"Katara, the best way for you to help is to find Aang and get him back. Zuko and Suki are both strong. Zuko especially."

The idea of leaving alone to find Aang was unacceptable to Katara. The idea of staying and doing nothing was even more unacceptable. Of course Zuko was strong. That didn't mean he was invincible. He wasn't the Avatar, and Katara knew too much to think his body would wait forever for his spirit to return.

Toph squeezed her hand. "If he's destined to die young, it's not going to be from meditation gone wrong."

Katara glared at Toph. "Zuko _isn't_ destined to die young."

Toph gave her a tight-lipped smile. "I know, Katara. He'll be okay here while you go find Aang. I'll make sure."

Katara felt like a weight was hanging from her shoulders, but she made her decision: she wasn't going to just sit here and let bad things happen to the people she loved.

It must have shown in her face because Toph swung her arms around her impulsively. "Katara, you can do this," she said encouragingly. "Look, Aang and Zuko might get most of the titles and accolades and hero-worship, and I might be the greatest earthbender on the planet, but you've _always_ been the real showstopper. Without you, none of us would have made it this far. If anyone can find Aang and figure out how to help him, it's _you_."

Tears brimmed in Katara's eyes. She hugged Toph.

"I will," she said.

* * *

Zuko was yelling at his mother. "How can you ask me to choose between you and Aang? That's an impossible choice!"

"Walk with me, Zuko," she said. It was her voice that was doing him in. It was the same kind, gentle voice he remembered. The sound made him feel warm and took the edge off his raw emotions. "Let me show you something."

Zuko walked with her. The hallway began to flash behind them, making him feel like he was rushing even though he hadn't sped up. Then in an instant he stood with his mother in a wide doorway and sunlight shined in from the outside. She gestured for him to follow and they walked out together into a garden.

"Where are we?" he asked.

His mother smiled at him. "You don't recognize this?" She swept her arm out gracefully toward the sun. "It's the palace garden."

Just like that, the gnarled tree he'd tried to climb as a kid came into view and the pond where he'd watched the turtle ducks with _her_ materialized. The pear cherry bushes were in bloom and the fresh air smelled sweet. The sky was perfectly unmarred by clouds.

His mother waited for him to join her by the pond, and he wasn't grown any more: he was a little boy. She was taller than he, and she was opening her arms so he could hug her. He put his hand to his own face. No scar. He began to reach out to her. The memory of her protecting him, loving him, and making him feel safe when everything else had been so frightening and overwhelming washed over him. It was how he remembered his mother. He could have stayed in her arms forever. He pulled back quickly at the thought.

"This isn't real." He searched her face for something to show him he was wrong. "This is only a memory."

His mother smiled and they both became older again. The scar was back. He could sense his wrinkled skin. She held her hand up to his face and touched it, her fingers cool and unfamiliar. No one but Katara had touched his scar for years. When Katara did it, he felt acceptance and strength. He had the sensation that his mother's touch was pitying. Pain choked him.

She stroked the damaged skin. "Zuko, your pain has _always_ been my own. I have always been there, watching you. Choose me, and I will be there for you again."

He wanted to believe her. "Mom," he said. "Is this really you?"

"Does it matter?" she asked. "Isn't this how you want to think of me? Isn't this what you _want_?"

How did he want to think of her? As a woman in a memory? Zuko knew his memory wasn't reality, and something about this version of his mother seemed wrong. And then…he did want his mother back – of course he did – but as much as he wanted her back for himself, he wanted even more just to know that she was okay. That something terrible wasn't happening to her. That she wasn't still being punished for trying to help him.

His voice felt choked. "What I want is for you to be safe and happy. I want you to return to the palace. I would do anything. I would _give_ anything."

"Would you?" She looked over to the pond, and an image of Katara appeared. "Would you give _anything_?"

Zuko's heart beat fast. "Are you asking me to give up Katara to find you?" He was quiet, horrified. "Why would you do that?"

His mother shook her head. "No, Zuko." Her voice echoed through the garden. "But you do have a choice, and she would want you to help Aang, wouldn't she? She would want you to choose her friend, not your mother. Isn't that right?"

Zuko felt confused. "He's _our_ friend. And she isn't asking me to choose. No one is asking me to choose."

"Is he your friend? Are you sure there is no choice? You're here in the spirit world to find someone, aren't you?"

"Yes." Zuko felt the hair on the back of his neck rise unexpectedly. "And of course Aang is my friend. I would never even have met Katara except for Aang."

"Then you took her from him?"

"No! Why would you say something like that?"

Her image wavered in front of him.

"Zuko." She held out her hands as if to offer peace. "I'm your mother. I know how much you've struggled. I know how much you've suffered. I know how much you want to find me. Forget about Aang, choose to search for me here instead."

Zuko's heart fell. In that instant, he knew the truth.

"You aren't my mother." His voice shook. "If there was ever a choice between helping my mother and helping the Avatar, my mother would know I'd have to help Aang. She would know that finding him is about protecting the whole world. I can't be selfish with this. Even for you. Even for my mother."

The figure of his mother changed back to Roku and they were in the hallway again. Zuko knew better than to feel relieved.

"Choose," Roku said, his eyes lit up in fire again. "Choose, Lord Zuko. _Choose_."

"I choose Aang!" Zuko shouted, but Roku changed again, and to Zuko's horror, _Katara_ now appeared in front of him, dressed in formal Fire Nation robes, her hair pinned up in a top knot with a formal gold flame ornament. He hadn't even dared to imagine her like this, but her eyes held the same flames Roku's had. He was terrified.

Katara spoke slowly and evenly: "Choose, Zuko. Do you want me? Or do you want Aang? Choose."

Zuko fell back, afraid and trying to understand what she was asking him to do. "Why? Why do I have to choose you or Aang? This doesn't make any sense."

"Choose." She came closer to him and he shifted away frantically to avoid her. "Choose."

"You're not Katara." She wasn't, was she? _His_ Katara didn't look like this. His Katara never appeared like a nightmare. His Katara had beautiful blue eyes that were unlike anyone else's.

"Katara isn't here," he protested. "Katara is somewhere in the physical world. Safe. With me. She isn't asking me to choose anything."

Her voice turned cold. "But I'm not safe. And I'm not with you."

"What are you talking about?" For the first time with this Katara, Zuko stepped forward to get a better look. "Why wouldn't you be with me?"

"Zuko," she said, her voice dangerously low, "I had to choose."

"What are you talking about?" Fear was taking over. His voice shook again. "When did you have to choose? Between who?"

"Between you and Aang," she said, and now she was moving away while he was trying to move forward to reach her. He reminded himself that it wasn't true. He reminded himself that this wasn't _his Katara_.

"I couldn't have you both." She drifted back. "I had to choose."

"You never had to choose between me and Aang!" Zuko shouted. "It wasn't like that."

It wasn't, was it? There had been a time when there had been something between her and Aang, but all of that had faded, hadn't it? Did she still have any of those feelings? They hadn't talked about it. He'd just assumed. Now his confidence wavered. Had she ever felt as strongly about Aang as he thought she felt about him?

"Wasn't it?" she asked. "Didn't I?"

This wasn't his Katara. Those weren't her eyes. His Katara loved Aang, but not that way. His Katara would have known he shared that love with her. If his Katara loved him – and she did, didn't she? Even though she had never said those exact words? – she would have known she could still love Aang. Wouldn't she? She would have known that Zuko would never have asked her _not_ to love Aang.

"No! It wasn't! You didn't! Katara _never_ had to choose between me and Aang."

She looked sadly at him for a moment that stretched out into agony. Then the flames vanished and her eyes became suddenly blue again. The blue he would have recognized anywhere. Blue like water with a glimmer of sunlight dancing on it. His Katara. His Katara, whose hands were touching his hands. He could _feel_ her hands. Why could he feel her hands if she wasn't really here?

"I did have to choose, Zuko," she whispered, "and I'm sorry, but I chose Aang."

His response caught in his throat, her eyes trapping his.

"I'm leaving," she said, and he knew – just _knew_ – that it was real.

* * *

Toph slumbered in a corner. Iroh continued to snore. Sokka kept a silent, sleepless vigil by Suki's side, refusing to talk to or acknowledge anyone. Katara looked outside. The darkness was becoming lighter. It was time for her to go. She sat down cross-legged in front of Zuko, her knees touching his legs.

"Zuko?" She almost expected him to open his eyes and respond. "I don't know if you can hear me, but it's morning and…"

His brow was turned down like he was seeing something unpleasant. She shuddered thinking about what it might be. "I went back to the ship," she continued hesitantly. "The crew is packing Appa for me. I'm…going to have to go alone. Sokka won't leave Suki."

She cringed. She and Toph had tried to convince Sokka to go with her. He had looked at them, his eyes blank, like he couldn't even fathom the possibility of leaving. Toph had offered to go with Katara instead, but Katara didn't like the idea of leaving Zuko and Suki alone with just Sokka to watch over them in this state.

Zuko was breathing heavily and his eyes were moving back and forth behind heavy lids. She put her hands on his shoulders and stroked from his shoulders down his arms, trying to will calmness into him. It didn't seem to help. She took his hands with her own.

"I'm leaving," she whispered. "I had to come tell you."

Did it say something bad about the depth of her feelings for Zuko that she was willing to leave him, when Sokka wasn't willing to leave Suki? She had only recently started to understand how deep those feelings ran. She thought back to the conversation Aang had first had with her about the idea of a summit at the North Pole. It had been two months ago now, he had been on a short visit, and they were standing on one of the bridges overlooking the canals that ran into the city center.

"I think I might be able to convince Zuko to come," Aang had said, and Katara's heart had quickened against her will. After all, she told herself, it had been over two years since she and Zuko had seen each other, and during the last visit, when the Gaang had reunited for the spring Fire Festivals, Zuko had been strained with the responsibilities of his position. Even when he was alone with her, his mind was somewhere else. She thought his breakup with Mai might have had something to do with it, but there hadn't been enough time to get him to open up about his feelings before the reunion came to an end.

Since then, she had written to him, every few months, and he always wrote back. She looked forward to his letters, in which he relayed funny stories about his uncle and interesting things about the projects he was working on. Inevitably, he ended his letter with a suggestion that she visit, and in her response, she always said "soon" but she never did. She always wanted to, but there was something intimate about the idea of visiting Zuko on her own that prevented her from ever following through.

"I hear he still doesn't have a new girlfriend," Aang had said. "Why do you suppose that is?"

Katara had completely missed the point.

"Think Keiro will still be around by the time of the peace summit?" Aang had asked.

Katara had said: "I hope so. He's not sick or anything."

Aang tried a third time too: "Didn't Aunt Woo promise you a great romance with a powerful bender? You don't really think Keiro could be that guy, do you?" But Aang had always been sensitive about Aunt Woo, and she didn't want to lead him on, so she just said: "you never know Aang, Keiro could be more powerful than he seems" and after that, Aang gave up.

It wasn't that Katara had never thought of Zuko that way. She could hardly deny the attraction, and there had always been a spark there. It was something she hadn't recognized back at "I'll save you from the pirates" and that she had denied vehemently to herself after he'd joined their group, especially when the war was over and Mai returned. She respected Zuko and she had a bond with him that drew her to him. They had brief moments when it felt like he had insight into her soul that no one else had, and there were times when he opened up to her in ways she knew he wouldn't have opened up to anyone else. She needed that friendship, and she thought he needed it too. She wasn't interested in ruining it with a stupid fling.

"You do want me to invite Zuko, though, right?" Aang had asked.

"Of course Aang," she had said. She was looking forward to seeing Zuko. She simply didn't have any expectation that the spark she kept buried would ignite or that she might find herself falling in love.

"I guess that shows it's pointless to plan love," Katara said to Zuko. She leaned up to kiss his cheek. "You understand why I have to go, though, right? It's the only way I can think of to help you or Aang. If I stay, there isn't anything I can do but wait and watch."

He didn't respond. She hadn't expected him to.

"It's not because I don't love you." She paused, hoping if he could hear anything, he would hear this. "I'm not making a choice between you and Aang. I'm making a choice not to let my fear of losing you win. I can't let it win, or I won't be able to help you. I'm stronger than that, and you have to be strong enough to find your way back here even if I fail."

She leaned up so she could whisper in his ear the final things she needed him to know before she left.

Then she pressed a delicate kiss to his lips.

"Oh and Zuko," she said, before she got up to leave. "I'd better see you again."


	20. Chapter 19 - Fear

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Katara shivered in the cold and wrapped her arms around herself. Appa yowled and pawed at his eyes in protest at the early hour departure. "I know, Appa," she said, "but the sun will be up soon and then it will be warmer."

Ting Ting handed her the last bundle, and stood back with Yin. They both looked worried, and Katara knew they questioned her judgment on this.

"I just don't see how Lord Zuko would ever have wanted us to let you go," Yin said for the tenth time.

Katara liked Yin, if for no other reason than that Zuko trusted him. Ting Ting, however, had helped Katara prepare for the journey without hesitation, while Yin had protested vigorously, arguing that the Fire Lord would be extremely upset to learn they had "allowed" Katara to go off on her own. Katara wondered who would win in a fight: Ting Ting or Yin? Her money was on Ting Ting.

Katara sighed. "Yin, I'm not Zuko's prisoner. He doesn't 'let' me go anywhere, and if he's going to be mad at anyone when he returns from the spirit world, it will be me. He'll know you couldn't have stopped me."

Zuko's chief adviser shook his head as though he couldn't believe how out of control this had become. "We're going to send a fleet of ships out after you as soon as possible, but they might not catch up before you get to the South Pole. Until then, you'll be completely alone."

"Yin, you do know the Southern Water Tribe has ships, right?"

"This is a matter of utmost priority to the Fire Nation." Yin straightened his back and held up his nose. "I certainly would not want to face the Fire Lord later if I had to tell him we sent you away without any defenses. We'll have Fire Nation ships tracking you the entire time, in the air and in the sea."

"Not too long ago, that would have terrified me," Katara said wryly. "But thank you. I appreciate the support. And don't worry, I'm hardly defenseless."

Yin's thin mouth stretched across his face less severely.

Ting Ting hugged her spontaneously, and handed Katara something she'd been holding in the palm of her hand. The blue-winged firebird pin. "It was on some of your robes," she said, pressing it into Katara's hand. "Just remember, you have us now too. Don't forget the messenger hawk. I'll be on one of the ships following you. If you need anything, send word immediately."

Katara thanked her for her help. Then she climbed up onto Appa's head and took the reins. "Okay, Appa," she said. "Just you and me this time." She took a deep breath to steady her pulsing blood and cracked the reins. "Yip-"

"Wait!"

Katara looked down. Sokka was running toward her, his face driven and set. He hurtled up onto Appa's saddle. She dropped the reins.

"Sokka!" Katara rushed back to the saddle to hug him. He hugged back hard. "I thought you weren't coming!"

"We do this together," Sokka said fiercely. "You are not alone, Katara. You are never alone."

"Suki would be really proud of you, Katara said, her own pride wetting her eyes.

"I know," Sokka said. "Now let's go find Aang."

* * *

_His_ Katara was somewhere else again. He knew because the Katara in front of him had fire eyes. Zuko kept trying to get away from her, but whenever he backed up, she got closer. He could never move fast enough to lose her. He began to hate the sight of this fraudulent replica, wearing his country's signature attire and mocking his true feelings and desires.

The conversation rolled in never-ending circles. How many hours had he spent here? How many times had she asked the same questions? How many times had he responded the same way? Was this a test? What did he have to do that he wasn't doing already to pass?

"You aren't Katara," he repeated. "The real Katara never felt that way about Aang."

Spirit Katara raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure, Zuko?" She was taunting him. "Didn't you think I was Aang's girl back during the war? What did you think we were doing later while we traveled around together? Just me and him, for years?"

"You were kids. It didn't mean anything," Zuko protested, fighting a deep fear he hadn't even known he'd had. "And you were never really with Aang. You didn't think of him that way."

"I did." Spirit Katara smiled the sweet smile Zuko favored on _real_ Katara. "I was in love with him. He's the Avatar. I would have done anything for him. I would still do anything for him. You were nothing to me. I hated you. You were the face of the enemy."

Zuko pressed his temples between his fingers and shook his head. "I didn't know you were in love with him like that. You never told me."

"What else didn't you know? Did you know Aang told me he only loved me like a sister? How do you think that made me feel? Maybe if he hadn't, we would be together now. Maybe it would have been me and Aang instead of me and you."

"Katara, stop," Zuko pleaded. "I don't care about your past."

"But you care about my future, don't you? What if I don't want you in my future? What if I want Aang instead? What if you're taking me away from Aang? _Choose_, Zuko!"

Zuko bent to his knees, exhausted. Were the hours he'd spent here in the spirit world draining him in the physical world? He felt like his spirit was less tangible now than it had been…when? When he had first arrived? How much time had passed? He needed to get to the real Aang and get back to his body.

He looked up at his tormentor. "You aren't Katara," he said wearily. "The real Katara wouldn't do this."

"The real Katara left you for Aang," she hissed. "The real Katara is miles away from you right now. The real Katara chose to save Aang."

"Good!" Zuko shouted, exasperated. "If the real Katara had to choose between my life and Aang's, then I hope she _did_ choose Aang!"

Spirit Katara faded slightly and her image became muddied. She reminded him eerily of Azula the day of Sozin's comet.

"What about you?" the frantic spirit asked. "Who will you choose?" Her face began to take on Aang's features, then it morphed back into her own. "Who is more important to you?" she asked. "Is it me?" She morphed again into Aang. "Or is it Aang?"

The spirit was Katara. Then she was Aang. Then she was Katara. Back and forth like it couldn't decide who Zuko would choose. Like _it_ didn't know whose life was more valuable. But the expressions the spirit's faces wore were consistent: pain, confusion, and fear.

At last, Zuko put a tag on the feeling he had for this spirit – human or not, Katara or Aang or someone else entirely – who was so divided in front of him. He felt compassion. Because he was no stranger to having a divided spirit himself. Compassion. Because he thought he understood something now.

He stepped quietly, cautiously closer and peered at the tortured spirit. "Aang?" he asked. "Is that you?"

The spirit stopped moving and at first Zuko thought maybe he'd gotten it wrong, but when the spirit formed again to look like Aang, the eyes were human.

The Avatar looked at him through gray lenses…then he crumpled to the floor.

* * *

Katara woke up in the middle of Appa's saddle shivering under a wool blanket. Sokka was at the reins. The wind was hard and Appa was swerving through gusty skies.

Her brother's body was tense, his shoulders approaching his ears. "Sokka," she called up to him. "Do you want me to take over again? You've been up there for hours."

Sokka shook his head, so Katara climbed up next to him on Appa's head. The circles under Sokka's eyes matched her own. They had been flying nearly non-stop all day and they were heading into the early early hours of the morning.

Katara pulled her robes around her body to shield herself from the wind. "We're going to have to get closer to shore so we can stop," she said. "Appa needs rest."

Sokka sighed. "How long do you think they have?"

Katara hesitated. "I don't know. Two or three more days maybe. After that, I don't know if their bodies will keep going."

Sokka was quiet. Katara thought about what he'd said the day before about Suki.

"I never really said congratulations." Suki's enthusiasm about the proposal was still fresh in her mind. "On your engagement. The pendant Suki showed me was beautiful.

Sokka laughed, but the lack of humor in the noise scared her. "Thanks," he said. They fell back into a silent void.

The weather was bad. The sky was thick with clouds and the wind pushed them around. Katara tied her hair back so it wouldn't fall in her eyes, but it whipped around her head anyway.

"She wanted to take a trip after the wedding," Sokka said, breaking the silence between them. Katara didn't respond, afraid that if she did anything but listen, he'd stop.

"I asked her where she wanted to go, and she had a hundred ideas. Some historic ruins near Ba Sing Se, a tropical island near the Southern Air Temple, Fire Nation wine country. I told her it was her choice. I'd have gone anywhere with her."

Katara didn't like the resigned tone of his voice.

"We were going to have the wedding on Kyoshi Island, so her family could be there. Do you know her dad is sick? She never talked about it with anyone, but I know he isn't doing well. That's part of why I didn't want to wait. She wasn't pushing me, but she was worried she didn't have much time left with him. She wanted him to be there for the wedding. I don't know what I'll say to him if-"

Katara wrapped her arm around the crook of Sokka's arm. "Don't talk about her in the past tense. You're still going to have the wedding on Kyoshi Island."

Sokka looked away and then glanced at Katara again. "She talks about kids." His mouth turned into a half-smile. "She wants two or three. She doesn't have any siblings, and she says sometimes when she sees you and me together, she wishes she had a brother or a sister."

"Sokka…" Katara's heart ached for him. "You're the best brother I could ever have asked for. I'm so looking forward to having Suki as my sister-in-law."

Tears began coming down Sokka's face. He wiped them away with his sleeve and laughed grimly. "You know Katara, if we end up getting out of this without losing anyone and you marry Zuko one day, Azula will be your sister-in-law too."

Katara's mouth became a little "o" – her romantic fantasies about Zuko hadn't quite gone there yet.

Sokka laughed for real. "No, it gets worse. _Ozai_ will be your father-in-law."

She imagined Zuko introducing her to his father and crunched up her face in horror. "I guess Zuko would get the better end of that deal."

"Think of ways for him to make up for it," Sokka suggested. "At least make sure he lets you redecorate the palace. You can't spend the rest of your life in a place that looks like it was designed for the Lord of Hell."

"Zuko would probably take the title 'Lord of Hell' as a complement."

"Probably. Smug bastard."

Katara smiled. They fell back into silence, but Sokka seemed heartened and Katara took that as a win.

They looked forward. They were coming up on heavy rain, which they could see in the distance. Katara wished they could fly higher, but as they moved south it was getting colder again. Even if they could break through the thick layer of rain-soaked clouds, it would be too cold that high up. They started flying through a drizzle of moisture.

"So what do you really think is going on with Aang?" Sokka asked after a while.

"Other than being taken by a dark spirit that's trying to steal his bending?" Katara asked, surprised.

"That's what Aang thought was happening." Sokka fought with the reins while they talked, steering Appa as best as he could in a straight line. "I'm not sure. Suki and I never experienced any of the problems you guys did. I thought it was because we aren't benders, but yesterday, when I was sitting with her, thinking about how she might be gone forever from me, I felt weak. Like I just couldn't go on without her and all my energy had been sucked away."

"That's how I felt when Aang and Zuko turned on me during the games at the Northern Air Temple." Katara thought back to the way Zuko had looked through her, like she was a stranger. "I thought it was because I was outnumbered."

Sokka glanced sideways at her. "You're talking about the day you and Zuko were mad at each other, right?"

She nodded.

"Did you ever think maybe you guys are just stronger working together and the more you care about each other, the more difficult it becomes for you to try to hurt each other with bending?"

Katara wiped rain out of her eyes. "But what about Toph's bending the day of the storm?"

"She'd been teasing you and Zuko all day." Sokka shrugged. "Then you kicked her butt in your match and when you and Zuko started playing it was like watching a water and fireworks show. You schooled her and made her miss her boyfriend all at the same time."

"That can't be right," Katara argued. "Toph didn't lose _all_ her bending just because she felt bad about missing Teo."

"That's probably true," Sokka admitted.

Lightning flashed and Katara startled and gripped Sokka's sleeve. He looked down at her fingers clutching the fabric of his robes and gave her a funny look. She let go and tried to relax again, but they were flying into a storm. As rain started to fall heavy on them, Katara began bending it away. Thunder rumbled around them.

"Look, all I know is that the only thing that helped me was when I realized I was letting my fear of losing Suki force you to head out on your own." Sokka spoke between crashes of thunder. "You're my sister. We've always been on the same side, and I couldn't let you go by yourself."

"Then it's even more important that you don't give up on Suki," Katara said, raising her voice over the increasing noise of the storm. "Have some faith. Trust that she's tough enough to find her way back to you, okay? Because that's what I'm doing, with all three of them."

Sokka nodded and pulled Appa's reins tighter, trying to pull up from a rush of heavy wind. "Okay," he said, raising his voice over the sound as well. "But one more thing."

"What?" she yelled.

"You're my sister no matter what, and even if you pick up dual citizenship in some less desirable nation someday, you and I are always on the same team. You're Water Tribe until you die."

"Which isn't going to be today, right?" she shouted, pointing to the huge waves below. "Where are we?! We have to land!"

* * *

Zuko rushed to Aang, and this time the spirit world didn't prevent him from reaching his destination. In an instant, he was at Aang's side, helping him up. Aang looked weakened and tired. Although they were in the spirit world, his body was thin and his face gaunt.

"Aang?" Zuko asked.

"Zuko?" Aang croaked. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to find you," he snapped. "Do you know how you got here? Do you know where you body is? We need to get you back there."

"Where is Katara?" Aang asked. He seemed confused.

"This is the spirit world," Zuko tried to explain. "Katara's in the physical world."

Aang glared at him and his body rose back up until he was standing above Zuko. "You _left_ her?! Why would you have done that?"

"I didn't leave her. She's with me in the physical world."

"_You_ aren't in the physical world."

"You aren't making any sense! Aang, work with me! We need to get you back. Where is your body?"

"_Work_ with you!? Do you know what you've _taken_ from me?"

Zuko had the sensation that Aang was getting larger while he was getting smaller. Aang was breathing heavily, his brows furled together, the blue arrow on his forehead pulsing.

"You are Aang's spirit, aren't you?" Zuko asked, trying not to shrink back in fear. "Katara was right. You want her to be happy, but you feel like you're losing your family again. You feel like you're losing her, to me. But Aang, I promise you, you're not."

Aang turned his head away. Zuko reminded himself that blue arrows or not, neither of them could use bending in the spirit world. He stood back up and took a step toward Aang again. "The dark spirit chasing you – it gets stronger when you feel alone. But you are not alone. You've just forgotten how extensive your family is."

Aang's head fell and he swiveled around so he wasn't facing Zuko. Zuko stepped closer. He was within arms' reach. Zuko put his hand out and it levitated over Aang's shoulder. He set his hand down and Aang's chest heaved. Aang bent forward onto his knees and Zuko knelt with him, stretching his arm around both of Aang's shoulders.

"It's okay, Aang." Zuko patted his shoulder in what he hoped was a soothing way. "Just come back home."

Aang was not soothed. "Where's home for me, Zuko?" he asked. "I'm an air nomad, and my people are dead. I travel the world alone with just Appa and Momo. All of my friends have moved on. Even Katara is gone."

"Katara's not gone, Aang. She's just not with you all the time anymore." The words felt empty as Zuko said them. How could he expect Aang not to complete that thought? _"She's not going to be with you all the time anymore. She's going to be with me."_

But Zuko didn't believe Aang truly thought he was "taking" Katara from him. First, because Aang had instigated Zuko's reunion with Katara. Aang had to know what he was doing. He hadn't just put an Avatar stamp of approval on "Zutara" – he'd put Katara squarely in Zuko's court.

Second, Aang would have respected Katara more than to think she wasn't making her own choices. She was the one who had decided – over a year ago – to leave Aang and find her own way. That was long before a relationship with him had ever entered the picture.

Still, Zuko did believe Aang longed for a home, and it couldn't have been easy for Aang to watch his friends building homes _together_ while his heart remained nomadic. What kind of consolation prize was it for Aang to know there would always be room for him at the Royal Palace in the Fire Nation? Did that mean any more to Aang than to know that Sokka and Suki would always welcome him at the South Pole?

What would Uncle have said? Aang's shoulders shook under Zuko's arm. What could he do to help his friend, who was obviously heartsick? What could he do to help his friend who had asked whether _he_ was more important to Zuko than Katara? Zuko could only think of one more thing to say:

"Aang, I'm not going to take Katara away from you. The only person who can do that is you. And I'm never going to choose between you and her. I'm going to choose both of you. I care about you both."

"Zuko!" A voice in the distance broke through.

* * *

Katara was strong, but she wasn't invincible, and it was like all the water – the rain falling in torrents from the sky and the waves riding up from the ocean – was angry at her.

"Sokka, we have to land NOW!" Katara screamed, barely pushing back a wave that had almost slammed into them. Appa was panicked.

"There isn't anywhere TO land!" Sokka shouted back, pulling up on Appa again and trying to lead them away from from the waves.

"How far away is the coast?" Katara struggled to bend the rain away from them, but she couldn't control the winds, which also seemed angry at her. Another bolt of lightning crashed down into the water.

"We're somewhere near the Southern Air Temple!" Sokka's voice barely carried over the thunder. "But we're not going to make it there in this!"

"That's Aang's childhood home! We have to get there! He could be there!" She lost control of the rain pouring down and strained to re-gain her focus. They could hardly see where they were going anymore.

"Katara! It's not enough. Grab the rope from the saddle!"

Katara scrambled back into the saddle, fighting just to hang on, and started searching for the rope. The messenger hawk was shrieking in its cage. Katara released the bird and it flew wildly away.

"I've got the rope!" she yelled, climbing back to Sokka.

"Take the reins!" He grabbed the rope just in time for a flash of lightning to brighten the sky while thundered crashed. The lightning narrowly missed Appa. Katara screamed.

"It's okay!" Sokka yelled. "We aren't hit! Just hang on!" He tied the rope around her and around himself.

"What about Appa?!"

"If we crash, he'll be too heavy for us in the water!"

"I can bend the water around us!"

"We can't risk it! If we go down and we're tied to Appa, he'll take us down with us. He's going to have to swim on his own!"

"We're not going down!" Katara shrieked, but there was a huge wave rising above them. She pushed back against it with all her power. The ocean disagreed with her plans. She and Sokka looked up at the tidal wave towering above them through the rain. Katara thought of all the times she and Aang had made it through similar storms. But Aang could control all the elements. Katara could only bend the water, and there was too much for her now. Appa let out a terrified yowl. Sokka grabbed her hand and she gripped Appa's reins.

"Katara?" Sokka yelled. "If I don't make it, tell Suki-"

"Shut up, Sokka!" Katara yelled back. "Waterbenders don't drown, and I'm not going to let you drown either. Don't let go of me!"

The wave hit them like an enormous hand slapping down.

* * *

"Zuko!" It was the new voice. Not Aang. Not Katara. His head swiveled around. He couldn't see the source of the voice.

"Zuko! Help! Quick!" The place they were in had changed. He and Aang were no longer stooped over a hard marbled floor. They were standing on an endless expanse of water – a flat ocean. The sky was dark and foreboding above them.

"Zuko!" Zuko continued looking around for whoever was calling him. Who was it? He couldn't place that voice.

Aang closed his eyes. "Zuko, I'm sorry."

"What for?" Zuko turned back to Aang. "You don't have anything to be sorry for."

"Yes," Aang said, and the water started to form into rolling, furious waves as he spoke. "I do."

"Zuko! Over here!" The environment they were standing in animated with a bang. Rain was pouring down. Lightning cracked like whips on the water. Waves crashed and churned in angry peaks. Somehow, Aang and Zuko continued to stand just above the ocean surface, as if they were on a glass platform floating perfectly still in the eye of the storm. One static point in the middle of the chaos.

The voice kept yelling. Zuko couldn't find its owner.

Aang put his head in his hands. "I'm so sorry Zuko, but you _do_ have to choose. This is my fault. This is all my fault."

Zuko didn't understand. "You haven't done anything, Aang. Come on. Let's just get you home."

Aang didn't answer.

* * *

Water. There was water pushing her down. Closing in on her. Trying to force her below. Sokka's arm was tight around her chest. Appa was below them. There was water. But she was a waterbender.

Katara put her hand down and commanded the water to flow at her will, lifting them up again. She and Sokka broke through the surface first, then Appa, struggling to stay afloat. They bobbed in frantic waves, barely catching their breath before another wave knocked them all under again.

Water. It tightened around her. Enclosed her. Filled her nose and her mouth. It tore Sokka away from her. He grabbed her wrist hard. Were they still tied together? Appa. Where was Appa? Katara forced the water to flow with them again, rushing them back to the surface. Sokka coughed next to her. Appa couldn't float in his panic.

But she was a waterbender, and waterbenders don't drown. High waves rose above them. She lost her grip on Appa's reins.

_Katara – do you even know how strong you are? _

She froze all six of Appa's paws into a floating life raft of ice. She went under again. She hoped Appa would bounce back up without her and that he would surface right-side up.

Under under under, down down down. Sokka, where was Sokka? She felt for the rope. It was still there. She and Sokka were being yanked around together underwater on a rope like puppets. She saw Sokka's hair floating loose. Her robes billowed around her. Sokka was limp like a rag doll. She followed the rope to his hands.

_You're Water Tribe until you die._

UP. She ordered the water to part around them and willed her and Sokka up through the waves until she was breathing air again and coughing. But Sokka was still sinking. She froze the water around his arms, forcing him to float with her. She pulled the water out of his lungs. He coughed more up. She didn't have time for relief. They were going under again.

She pushed them up again. He was suffocating. She didn't have enough time to get the water out. They were pulled under again. He was so heavy on the other end of the rope. And how stupid, she thought, that she was in her own element, drowning.

Up again. Where was Sokka?

Down again. She gasped for breath under the pressure of the water.

_Water is life_, Zuko had said.

_Water can be death_, she had said.

Waterbenders aren't suppose to drown.

Blackness.

* * *

A great light illuminated Aang like a spotlight shooting up from the ocean floor through the water and the platform they were standing on. Aang looked at Zuko. His eyes were very human and very terrified.

"I did this," he said pitifully. "Now you _are_ going to have to choose."

Then it was like Aang dropped into the light itself – a tunnel that he sank down into toward the bottom of the ocean. Zuko dove off the platform into the water after him, but once he was in the water, he could hardly move.

Debris floated by in the water around him. He thought he saw a beast of Appa's size rush by above him on an iceberg. He realized he couldn't feel the water itself, and he became acutely aware again that he had left behind his physical self. This was only his spirit self, floating through the water like a ghost.

"Zuko! Help! They're going to die!" The voice. He finally recognized it. Suki! What was she doing here? He looked and saw that she, too, was a floating ghost, translucent in the water. But it was not just Suki he saw. She was clutching a person, and the water was pushing the person down into the ocean. Sokka. And not a floating ghost Sokka. That was Sokka's _physical_ self.

He saw Katara then. _Katara's_ physical self. She had an iron grip on the back of Sokka's robes. She was bending the water forcefully around her, commanding it to rush her and Sokka back to the surface. She didn't see Suki, who struggled in vain to help from the spirit world.

Katara and Sokka bobbed up to the surface of the water for a few brief seconds before the water caved in on them again. Zuko thought of children's toys in a bath.

"I don't know what to do." Suki's voice was broken, and she was suspended next to Zuko now instead of floating by Sokka. "I can't help. I can't touch them."

"What the hell were those Water Tribe morons thinking?" Zuko said angrily, but he found he could not move in the water either. He couldn't even get closer.

"We have to help them," Suki said. "I don't know how to help."

"We can't." Zuko watched, numbed as Katara and Sokka slipped under again. "They're in the physical world. We're in the spirit world. But Aang-"

Aang was in the spirit world. Zuko looked for the tunnel of light again, which he had momentarily forgotten. It was still there behind him, fading now. Was Aang still there? "I think we need to go after Aang. I don't think we're here for Sokka or Katara."

"What? No!" The anguish in Suki's voice made Zuko want to look away. "I'm not leaving Sokka here!"

He grabbed her shoulders and pointed her toward Aang. "We're in the _spirit world_. They're not. We can't help them, but we might be able to help Aang."

Suki glared incredulously back at him, shaking out of his grasp. "You don't understand! That's Sokka out there! With _Katara_, Zuko."

Zuko fought the fear that threatened to overcome him. Yes, it was Katara. Yes, he was terrified for her. But was he helping her by just standing here and watching? No. He swallowed down the terror. He was going to have to convince Suki.

He started: "Suki, the right thing to do is to follow Aang-"

But Suki wasn't listening anymore. She was staring past him, her eyes deadened, and Zuko noticed that everything was becoming quiet around them. Aang's tunnel of light dimmed as Zuko turned in the direction of Suki's stare, aware with a strange prickling feeling that something else was wrong.

Something else was wrong indeed.

Katara and Sokka were suspended in the water, spirits facing him and Suki while their physical bodies sank in the water behind them.

"No," Suki whispered.


	21. Chapter 20 - Strength

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Zuko couldn't speak. Katara didn't speak.

"No," Suki whispered under her breath. "Don't be here. Go back."

Zuko watched Sokka begin to put his hands out toward Suki. She reached out for him too, but he pulled away again before they could touch, closing his eyes.

"You're the ones who shouldn't be here," Sokka said, the agony in his voice immeasurable. "Your bodies are waiting for you. Toph is standing guard. You go back. Now!"

Katara looked out into the water they were suspended in. Aang was no longer visible in the dim light, yet she seemed to intuit his fading presence. "He's out there, isn't he?" she asked, and though it was a rhetorical question, Zuko confirmed by ducking his head. She fisted her hands into balls. "We have to go after him."

"Katara, no!" Suki implored. "This is the spirit world. You're drowning. Can't you feel it? You don't have time to go after Aang. If anyone needs help right now, it's you and Sokka."

Katara said nothing, but Sokka answered Suki's question with a drawn face, and Zuko knew they shared a heavy decision.

Suki turned to Zuko and gripped his arm, her nails clawing into his skin though they were both only spirits. "Zuko, tell her we'll find Aang. Tell her to go back. Tell them both to go back. _Help_ me!"

But Zuko still couldn't speak as his eyes locked with Katara's. The real Katara. Who just couldn't stay out of trouble. It was all in the eyes, he realized. He would have recognized that stubborn tenacity anywhere. There was no light fading there, only a battle spirit rising. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen that made his body shake in terror.

"If Aang is out there, we have to go find him," Sokka said. "Katara and I promised him a long time ago we'd never desert him. We're his family. If there's a chance we can help him, we have to do it."

Suki sucked in a harsh breath, and Zuko shut his eyes, feeling her pain sharply himself. Stubbornness, he thought, must run in Hakoda's family.

"You can't," Suki pleaded quietly, though they all knew she was already defeated. "You're not here in the spirit world to save Aang. You're here because you're dying. We don't even know how much time you have. You might not even make it to Aang."

"This isn't just about Aang," Katara said adamently. "Your bodies are back in Roku's temple, and you and Zuko are trapped here."

"Katara's right," Sokka said, his voice hard as well. "If we can't help Aang, you could both die too."

"Sokka, please," Suki begged, but she was giving up.

"Suki, I love you so much," Sokka said, his plea for forgiveness laced into the declaration. "But this isn't a choice."

Sokka's words wove around the echo of Aang's voice in his head as Zuko stared at Katara. "Choose." Was this what Aang had meant? It would have been one thing to choose to go after Aang in the spirit world when there was nothing Zuko could do for Katara in the physical world. Now she was in the spirit world too, and she wanted to follow Aang instead of trying to go back to her own body. Was he supposed to agree with that choice? For Aang's sake? For his own?

Her courage was stunning and horrible. The thought of losing her made him unable to breath. But she had made her choice. Could he trust it? Trust it – trust her – enough to let her go without a fight? What was his relationship with Katara based on if not trust? What could he do for her now other than support her decision? Wasn't that the whole point of him and her together? He was supposed to have her back, not tell her which way to turn, right?

"This is what the whole journey has been about," Katara said. There was a plea in her voice as well. "Don't you see? We are a family – the four of us, plus Aang, Toph. Even Momo and Appa. We are at our best when we work together. We have to fight for Aang together now."

For a long second, no one said anything, but Suki's grip on Zuko's arm loosened until she was no longer latched on.

"I always wondered why of all the people in the world, you two were the ones who found the Avatar," Zuko muttered.

"This is stupid," Suki said, but she had the fervor of a warrior in her stance again. "I guess we're all going after Aang." Suki and Sokka were good together, Zuko realized at once. They matched each other in courage. Suki reached out for Sokka again, and this time, he didn't stop her. Zuko averted his eyes.

"Zuko-" Katara started. Her voice carried emotions they didn't have time to explore. She stood with her hands at her sides. She opened her mouth again with what looked like an apology on her lips, but he didn't want her to apologize. He only wanted to remember the strength he'd seen and admired in her.

"You are choosing Aang," he interrupted, facing her directly. "He told me you would. It's the right thing to do."

"Zuko…" Her voice was tightly woven. "It's not because I don't love you."

A smile twisted on his face like her words twisting around his soul. She was a fighter. For Aang, for Sokka, for him, for her whole family, and he knew by the look in her eyes that she wasn't done yet.

"Then it's not because I don't love you that I'm choosing him too." He closed the distance between them and hoped time in the spirit world was slower than time in the physical world. "We'll go for Aang together." He put her face in his hands. "But Katara, you better fight like hell for your life as soon as you get out of here."

Tears gathered above the blue water of her eyes, but a smile twisted on her face too. He could see his future stretching out in those eyes. Maybe one day there would be more between them for her to fight for.

"That's a deal," she said softly, as if she had heard his thought.

* * *

Katara hoped she would remember later the transitions she'd seen in Zuko's eyes. The way they'd glistened with anger at her for being there to begin with. The way they'd widened in shock when she said she was going after Aang. How they'd hardened with resignation when he realized there wasn't anything he could say to change her mind. How later they'd softened with the affection that had so often passed between them these last few years and something much deeper – an undercurrent that had only recently been unveiled.

She hadn't been sure he would understand. She still wasn't. How could she expect his rational mind to understand the intuitive decision she had made? But that was the thing about Zuko: he knew everything about her. The good, the bad, the ugly, the dangerous. And the last thing she saw in his eyes was a glint of pride. He knew everything and he was going to back her up no matter what. She wondered what they could do with that partnership if they could ever move it off the battlefield.

Hopefully there would be a chance to find out.

It felt like Zuko had barely touched her and the light Katara had seen in the water began coming closer. Or maybe the four of them were floating closer to the light – as if their collective decision moved them all as one. Katara didn't think too hard about it. Doing so would have required her to admit she was a spirit. Instead, she just watched the light until it overtook them, and then it felt as though the light were actually a tunnel and they were falling through it together.

Zuko found her hand, and she found Sokka's and she hoped Sokka still had Suki in his reach. They all fell down together, clinging to each other as best they could while each silently fought their individual fears. The light narrowed, darkened, slowed, and then set them gently in a dimly lit pit.

And there was Aang – his spirit self at least – standing in the center of the pit, watching them, his glider in his hands, dark circles below his hollow eyes. Katara had felt sure the light belonged to him, but seeing him now jarred her.

There was silence as Aang watched them. He found her eyes, and his were haunted and fearful. The presence of something heavy that Katara could not see pressed down on them, squeezing their hearts. Katara felt hers slowing. Was that because she was dying in the physical world? Or was it something more?

"You shouldn't have come here," Aang said, crouching down and using his glider to support his weight as he leaned forward into it. His eyes were sad and clouded with fear. The heavy feeling settled in her chest, crushing her. "You should have chosen to save each other. You should have left me out of it."

Sokka went to Aang before she did. Why didn't she go first? The sting of guilt swept through her. Sokka put his arm around Aang's shoulder. "No, we shouldn't have." His voice was strong. "We're here for you, Aang. Tell us how we can help."

"Why did you do it?" Aang said sadly. "Why are you here? It wasn't what you were supposed to do." He looked up with eyes burning, directing his voice to Zuko. "You _especially_." His tone was unmistakably scathing. "This was the wrong decision. You were supposed to convince Katara not to come. You were supposed to save her."

Zuko acted like Aang's words meant nothing to him. He – the man she had been falling for since they were teenagers – approached Aang – the boy she had always loved – like a sick animal. He put his arm around Aang's other shoulder, overlapping with Sokka's. "What, and lose a chance to capture you?" Zuko's bad joke fell on deaf ears. Katara shook her head. Zuko's jokes were always terrible. "You know why we're here. We're here to figure out how to get you home."

Suki stepped forward from behind Katara. It surprised her. She should have been next, right? But she hadn't been able to move. Instead, her future sister-in-law knelt in front of Aang. "Aang, we need your help. How can we get you out of here? Where are we? What's doing this to you? Is there something down here we can't see?"

Now only Katara was separated from the group, but Aang was watching _her_: watching her like she was the only one who mattered, despite the love and support already surrounding him. But she could still feel the heavy presence in the dark pit. It was pushing in on her body, threatening to suffocate her, cutting off the oxygen to her brain and her heart.

Was it the water drowning her? Or was it a fear that had been hidden below the surface? A fear she needed to voice, so it would stop trying to kill her. A fear that kept her from stepping any closer to Aang.

"Tell me, Katara," he heard her say wearily. "Ask me."

"Aang…" She flinched at the words she needed to say. "Was it you? Are you the one who did this to yourself? To us? Is there any dark spirit after us at all?"

She had never been able to stand tears in Aang's eyes, which were supposed to be full of light and spirit. So as his eyes filled, she wanted to go to him. Only an unexpected burst of anger prevented her from rushing forward as he said: "Katara, I only wanted you to be happy. I wanted everyone to be happy. I'm not selfish. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Zuko's eyes flashed to hers. She couldn't explain it to herself, but they both knew. Nothing was chasing Aang. He was hurting himself – and hurting his friends in the process. Katara expected to see anger boil up in Zuko's eyes too as he came to the same realization, but it didn't. All she could see in his face was permission to love Aang unconditionally, without any fear that her love for Aang could threaten what she felt for him. She felt Zuko's strength pouring into her even as she saw him tighten his arm around Aang.

Aang's eyes, however, were only more grieved. Katara let go of her own rage. This was her friend, whom she loved. He was in pain and he needed her to comfort him. She moved forward slowly until she was kneeling next to Suki.

"I couldn't stop it." Aang looked away from her. "I tried, but I didn't know how. I still don't. I do love you, and I hurt you. I never wanted this."

"Aang, I understand." Katara put her hand cautiously forward, leading with her palm until she could touch Aang's chest. "I'll always love you too. You know that, right? No matter what."

"I know." He was always so honest, she thought. "You love me the way you would have loved your kids. You take care of me. You protect me. You come after me even when your life is at stake. Your kids would have had the best mom ever. But it couldn't be anything else with me."

"Aang…" But she didn't know what else to say. She found herself looking into his eyes – dark in this dim light – and she saw so many memories there. Aang as a little boy, waking up after being trapped in the ice. Aang sledding with the penguins. Aang in his various disguises. Aang learning to waterbend. Aang reconnecting to the Avatar state while they fought Zuko and Azula together. Aang falling and her rushing forward, knocking out everything in her way to get to him. Aang unconscious on the Fire Nation ship. The many many nights she'd sat in his room, praying that he would wake up, that her healing had been enough. What wouldn't she have done for him?

"Katara…" What wouldn't he have done for her? His voice was deeper now, even in the spirit world. She'd never really even noticed. His face wasn't so round. His body was muscular and hard. She knew those things had happened, but in her heart Aang never aged. When she looked, she always saw the boy she'd found in the ice. What had he seen in her all these years? What had she been to him? How much of his love for her had been more than platonic?

"Is that what you wanted?" The pressure caving in around her seemed to triple. "For me to love you some other way?"

He didn't answer. Katara fell away, and she felt Suki's hand on her back and Sokka's arm around her shoulders as she collapsed into the ground. As though she needed their help now more than Aang. Maybe she did. There wasn't anything she wouldn't have done for Aang, but she couldn't change her feelings for him any more than she could change her feelings for Zuko, and what she felt for Zuko was completely different.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.

* * *

Katara sounded so shattered it was all Zuko could do not to drop Aang and rush to her, just like Suki and Sokka had. But Katara wasn't the only one who loved Aang. Zuko loved the insufferably good-natured monk too. He kept his arm around Aang's shoulder.

Aang didn't answer Katara's question. Instead, he asked one of his own. "Why did you come down here, Katara? Why did Zuko let you come? Why did you both choose to come after me?"

Zuko held onto Aang while he watched tears rushing down Katara's face. "Because you're our _family_, Aang," she struggled to explain. "Because we would never let you down. Because you needed us."

"That's why," Aang said. "I didn't tell you because I always need you more than you need me. You have to take care of me. When I was young, I loved you because you _did_ take care of me, and that made me feel loved too. I didn't even know you could love someone in some other way until I saw you with someone you _didn't_ have to take care of. It would never be like that with me and you. You'd always have to be there to fix me. It would never be balanced. I didn't want that for you. I didn't even want to burden you with my feelings because I knew how wrong it would be to ask you to try to love me like I loved you."

Zuko watched Katara watch Aang. Aang's pain was reflected in her. Zuko was overwhelmed by the thought that so much pain could be shared by the two people with the biggest hearts in the world.

"This is wrong," he found himself murmuring. Aang shook himself free of Zuko's arm and glared at him, but Zuko just stood up in front of Aang and crossed his arms. "This is wrong," he repeated, cutting off whatever else Aang would have said to Katara. "You're _wrong_." He heard his own voice as if he were hearing it from outside his body: steady, calm, uncompromising. Katara looked up at him while he spoke like she had temporarily forgotten he was even there. Aang looked at him like he was mildly bored.

"Zuko," he sighed, "I know you're dense, but I'm not wrong. Katara loves you in a different way than she could ever have loved me. You're the prince who left behind everything he cared about to do what was right and save his nation. I'm the boy who hid for a hundred years because he was too afraid to use his own powers to do anything to help anyone. Who's she going to fall for, huh? Me or you?"

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "_I'm_ the hero?" he scoffed. Why was Aang doing this to himself? Why couldn't he see what everyone else could see? Was this really even about Katara? He looked at Aang and was reminded of one of their very first conversations. Zuko's voice became soft. "I think the problem is that you never had a father. You had Katara to mother you, but you never had a father to be a role model or a mentor. You don't know much about fathers, do you? Maybe that's why you don't know enough about heroes."

"As if you do," Aang scoffed back. "Your father wasn't exactly a role model, Zuko."

"I know," Zuko said, "I don't know who I would have been without my _Uncle_, and even with him, I was pretty lost. Really, I don't know how you've forgotten everything I did before I decided to join you. I'm not the hero, Aang. I screwed up a lot, especially when I still didn't know what my destiny was."

Aang didn't look at him. Zuko went on anyway: "Especially when all I wanted was to go home. To a place where I didn't have anyone left who loved me. When I felt like maybe you feel now."

"So you're in a position to give me advice?" Aang said angrily.

Zuko scowled. "I know you need some. Look, Aang, you're the Avatar. You defeated my father, and you're supposed to have all the answers now. No one thinks you need help sorting out any of your fears because _you're_ the hero everyone thinks of when they think of how the war ended. But you're getting things wrong because of it. You think I don't need anyone to take care of me, but I do. I need you. I need Katara. I need my Uncle, my advisers, Sokka, Suki and even Toph. And you think Katara's here to take care of you, but really, she's the one who needs to be taken care of right now. She needs you to save her."

"She doesn't need me!" Aang's eyes were still hard and angry.

Zuko continued on determinedly. "Oh yes she does. She needs you desperately. She needs you to figure this out so that you can let her go. If you don't, she'll die."

Aang was breathing heavily. Zuko glanced at Katara, who was still being held by Suki and Sokka. The three of them were glued on Aang. Sokka was nodding.

"I agree with Zuko," Sokka said, breaking in suddenly. Aang's head whipped in his direction. "You've been saying there's a dark spirit chasing you, but the only thing I see chasing you is fear."

"I think Zuko's right, too, Aang," Suki added. "We can all feel it here. It's like a presence trying to keep us down. You're just letting it get to you. What are you afraid of that's keeping you here?"

Aang's eyes skidded to the edge of the pit they were standing in. Zuko thought maybe he was trying to figure out where he could run to, but there was nowhere for Aang to run. He would have to face whatever he was afraid of now. Aang's face turned to panic.

"Well what exactly am I supposed to be afraid of?! What fears am I not facing?"

"Only you can know that," Sokka supplied. "Maybe you're afraid Katara doesn't need you anymore."

"Maybe you're afraid she loves Zuko the way you wanted her to love you," Suki added gently.

Aang looked between Zuko and Katara. Katara had been silent, like she was waiting for a guilty verdict to come down on her. She didn't make eye contact with him or Aang.

Aang turned wildly to him. "What do you think, Zuko? Do you think I'm afraid of Katara loving you instead of me?"

Zuko half-smiled at Aang. "No. Personally, I think that's a cover. I think you're more afraid that you're never going to find the kind of relationship Suki and Sokka have – the kind you think Katara and I might have too. Maybe you're afraid you'll never get home. Maybe you're afraid you don't even have a home. But you do have a home."

"Where?!" Aang yelled. "Who's going to make a home with me while you guys make homes with each other? Who will stay with me? After the war, you all left. Only Katara stayed, and then even she left! I needed her and she left!" He wiped away tears. "She was my home and _she left_. She's _gone_."

Zuko heard Katara's weak sob. He looked at her and Sokka again. They were fading, their spirit selves becoming hazy.

"Aang," Zuko said quietly. "I know you feel like you have nowhere to go, but I'm telling you, you still have a family. I would be there for you, and Toph would be there for you, and Katara and Sokka are literally dying trying to be here for you now. If you don't defeat the fear dragging us all down, they will die. So what will _you_ choose? Are you going to stand here and tell Katara how much you love her? Tell her how much you needed her to protect you? To be there for you? To be your home? While you're doing that, her body is sinking to the bottom of the ocean."

Aang glared silently. Zuko continued, his voice still low: "You are wrong, Aang. You don't need her right now. She needs you. So what's it going be? Are you the hero of the story? Or are you the guy who lets fear win?"

Aang's head dropped. He looked up through his eyelashes at Katara. Zuko could barely look at her himself. Her spirit seemed to be fading out. She spoke with what seemed to be her last strength:

"Aang…you told me once that if you want to be a bender, you have to let go of fear. Can you do it for me now? Please?"

* * *

Katara waited while Aang stood silently. Her head felt empty while her energy drained out. She was drifting away from herself. Maybe even her spirit self wouldn't be here much longer. She couldn't hear her heart beat. She was dizzy. She didn't have anything more to give. Sokka groaned quietly next to her and Suki caught him in her arms. Aang's eyes hardened.

Katara blacked out.

_Water. There was water in her lungs, sucking her down. _

_Water. Water. Water. Water. _

But she remembered something. She remembered that water is life, even if it is also death. That love means protecting, even when it also means pain. That there were many whom she loved, protected, needed and wanted, and that she was loved, protected, needed and wanted by many. That she promised she would fight like hell for her life.

Katara opened her eyes. She forced the water down with a great thrust. It pushed her up. She could see the surface above and then she was breaking through it and expelling the water from her own lungs. She violently spewed it from her own stomach. She coughed and choked and spat and gagged. Sokka, where was Sokka?

She felt for the rope. It was still there, wrapped around her waist, weighing her down while she made the angry water flow in currents that kept her floating above the surface. She pulled up on the rope. She had to find Sokka. She pulled up hand after hand. He was heavy. She told herself to keep going. She would have to remember to tell him later how impressed she was with his ability to tie a knot.

She could see the top of Sokka's head. She caught him under his arms and used the water to push him above the surface with her. She could sense water in his lungs and filling his stomach. She began to pull it out, wringing water from him. She listened for the water in his blood. His heart had stopped. There was no more water to wring out, but his heart was still stopped. Why wouldn't it start again?

Katara cried out. The water kept coming around her, the spray was in her face and the lightning danced furiously in the sky. Where had Appa gone? Was he still floating somewhere? She could barely see anything and Sokka's body was dead weight in her arms. And she was tired. Completely drained. She closed her eyes again. Maybe it had all just been too much.

* * *

Zuko never blinked and he was out of the dark pit, levitated above water again. Aang was gone, but Suki stood next to him, and they were standing together on an invisible viewing platform that they couldn't move from. The relief was seeing Katara appear at the surface of the water again. The terror was realizing the strength of the continuing storm. He watched Katara pull Sokka's body up and fight to keep them both above the surface in the crashing waves. He couldn't help. Couldn't even call out to her. She might not even remember everything that had just happened, Zuko realized. She might not even know he was here.

Suki was frozen in place. When Sokka didn't move – didn't reanimate despite Katara's attempts to clear his airways – Suki made a sound like she was quietly choking to death herself. Zuko didn't know what to do but embrace Suki's shocked body and hold her close in the spirit world, with her face buried in his robes, praying for a miracle while death toyed with their people outside.

It wasn't in his nature to give up easily, but when the next wave hit and Katara and Sokka disappeared under the water again, it was all he could do not to flinch and look away.

One. Two. Three. He counted silently. Seven. Eight. Nine. _Come up. Come up. Come up._ Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. _Waterbenders don't drown, Katara._ Twenty. Twenty one. Twenty two. _Come on, Katara. Be amazing._ Twenty six. Twenty seven. Was this it? Twenty eight. Twenty nine.

Twenty nine and a half.

Katara burst out in a funnel of water, driving up into the sky with her arms wrapped around her brother's chest, looking up with a face like fury. She wrapped Sokka in glowing blue water and the water flowed around them both like it was alive, while she somehow managed to keep them above the storm at the same time. Sokka's body jerked with life. His eyes opened.

Katara looked at the platform where he and Suki were standing, and Zuko could have sworn she looked right at him. Right into his eyes. "Suki," Zuko said, sucking in an amazed breath. "Look."

Suki lifted her face and gasped. Katara and Sokka floated wildly above the storm, hanging on despite the continuing rains and winds. "Sometimes I forget what a powerful bender that girl is," Suki said.

"I never do," Zuko said.

* * *

Katara felt at one with the water. Yue must have been looking down on them and the ocean must have been seeking a master because Katara knew that from here on out, the water was hers.

Perhaps the spirits of the Fire Nation were somehow helping her as well, because the lightning had not let up but she dodged it easily, always intuiting when it would strike. It was only the air now – the rushing wind – that she could not control. It pushed her back and threatened to topple her and Sokka. Could she keep this up forever? She would not give in, but she did not know what would come next.

She did know that _something_ was coming in the air, though. She sensed it before she could even see it. A dark figure in the storm. She couldn't make it out at first, but she didn't fear it, and then-

"Appa, is that Appa?" Sokka croaked, weakened from the toll the water had taken on him.

"Yes!" Katara said. "And Aang!"

He rode crouched on Appa – Aang's physical self – his head bent toward them, his robes whipping in the wind, waving the storm away with strokes of his hand, as though he was parting it straight down the middle. When he got close, they could see his eyes and they were furious, strong and determined as he reached for them.

"Aang!" Katara shouted. "You came for us!"

He smiled fiercely, helped them onto Appa with a smooth burst of air, and then flew them up out of the storm, driving all the elements away as they went so that Appa had only to fly through the smooth path of air Aang created for him.

His eyes met Katara's: "You're my family. I'd do anything for you, and I'll always take care of you. I _am_ the hero of the story."

"I know, Aang," Katara said, while her tears fell down on her cheeks. "And I'll always believe in you. Thank you."


	22. Chapter 21 - Together

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

There are things you don't go through with someone without coming out different. Zuko knew that firsthand from experiences he'd shared with Katara that had changed them both. Still, he didn't expect that as soon as he found himself at the Avatar temple in his physical body, he would start looking to see if Suki had made it back too.

She must have felt the same about the bond they now shared because his eyes had barely opened before she clambered over and hugged him. Zuko felt weak, and he could barely hold his own body up, let alone Suki's with him. Thankfully, Toph joined in, propping them both up. The earthbender girl, whose tousled hair and wrinkled clothing revealed that she had been their constant guard over the last few days, was hysterical, squealing: "I knew you'd come back!" over and over again. Suki alternated between laughing and crying into his shoulder, and Zuko connected Suki and Toph both to a safe, content feeling. (Though he vowed to keep that revelation to himself, on the grounds that someone would tell Sokka and he would immediately lose manliness points.)

Suki's story was a surprise, which she told over tea (made personally by Uncle Iroh, who hugged him even more enthusiastically than Toph and Suki) and sandwiches (ordered personally by Yin, who patted his shoulder in lieu of a hug).

"I'm distantly related to Kyoshi," Suki explained. "I had no idea. It's through my dad's side."

"So does that make you and Zuko spirit cousins or something?" Toph asked. "The family tree is getting complicated."

Suki winked at Zuko. "Maybe if I'm lucky, Zuko will be my actual brother-in-law someday."

"Here, here!" Toph cheered, holding up her cup of tea in a toast to that. Uncle smiled with all his teeth and the girls clanged their cups against his while Yin smirked and mouthed "publicity" to Zuko.

"So there, Zuko." Suki grinned. "In case you were wondering, that's what side we're on. We ship Zutara."

"Chop chop, Sparky," Toph said. "You have our permission."

He smiled patiently, too relieved at the homecoming to be irritated. "You're assuming I have Katara's permission."

"That's cute," Suki said sarcastically. "Were you in the same spirit pit I was in? Have you seen the way she looks at you?"

Toph punched him hard in the shoulder. "Have you just generally looked in the mirror lately?"

Zuko eyed her skeptically. "How would you know what I look like in the mirror?"

Toph smirked. "Oh Fire Lordy! I can assume based on the way women's hearts race when you walk by. Some men too. You should hear Sugar Queen's whenever you turn your pretty head toward her. It's disgusting."

Toph was very good for his confidence.

Zuko leaned back on his elbows, enjoying the conversation too much. "Are you two aware that it is tradition in the Fire Nation for the Fire Lord to court a lady and her family for at least four seasons before making an official proposal of marriage?" He turned to his trusty adviser for support. "Isn't that right Yin?"

Yin had been shaking his head at Toph as if to say 'what a strange, aggressive girl she is.' He turned his attention back to Zuko now. "Yes, sir." He scratched his chin. "A full courtship is customary, followed by a long engagement, during which the palace prepares for the wedding itself."

"How long?" Suki asked curiously. "Sokka and I were thinking of having our wedding this spring on Kyoshi Island."

"Given the necessity of coordinating with the Southern Water Tribe, and the number of guests who will need to be invited from around the world, I would imagine the wedding would take at least a year to plan," Yin advised.

"Bleeding hog monkeys! That's forever!" Toph yelped. "Isn't there anything that can be done to speed it all up? That much fuss is going to drive Katara crazy."

Yin smiled and Zuko didn't like the glint in his eye. "Well, there are certain cases in which it would be appropriate to forego the formalities in favor of a quicker engagement. But…"

"What kind of cases?" Toph asked eagerly. "Anything to keep Katara from killing someone in a pre-wedding blow-up."

"Ahh…" Yin hesitated.

Uncle laughed. "Adviser Yin is referring to cases in which the bride's condition becomes, shall we say, substantially altered?"

Toph took a few seconds to put that together before she began chortling like a hog monkey herself. Suki eyed Zuko sideways, smiling mischievously at him.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "A quicker engagement will not be necessary," he said coldly, sitting up straight and crossing his arms. "And this conversation is premature. Katara and I have only been together a few weeks. She deserves time to think about whether she really wants to throw herself into a life of Fire Nation royalty."

Toph laughed harder. "Who decided to give you authority over the whole Fire Nation? You're oblivious! Sweetness would walk through hell itself by your side if you asked her to."

"That _is_ what I'll be asking her to do." Zuko scowled, feeling sick to his stomach.

Suki leaned forward and grabbed his hand. "That's not how she'll see it, Zuko."

He squeezed her hand appreciatively.

"Anyway, we'll help. I'll be your hell minion all year long, Fire Lord," Toph announced.

"Oh, me too," Suki said, grinning at him and letting his hand go.

Zuko leaned back. "I thought your allegiance was supposed to be to Katara. Women stick together or something like that."

"You need more help than she does," Toph said.

"I agree," Suki said. "Sokka will be on board too. You should have seen him and Aang ranting about Keiro. We do not want to show up at the North Pole in a year and find Katara with some other guy." The thought made the conversation feel as though it had taken a bad turn.

Toph waved her hand. "Forget that. The only trip we're making to the North Pole this year is to help Katara pack."

Suki held up her tea cup again. "Here's to helping Katara pack!" The group clinked their cups together again.

Zuko joined the toast.

* * *

Aang took Katara and Sokka to the Southern Air Temple. He had been there the whole time, locked physically in the inner sanctuary that could only be opened by an airbender and spiritually in a prison of fear.

"I don't remember much about how I got there," he admitted. "It felt like there was a real spirit trying to destroy me. I should have known all along, though. The first thing a bender has to do is learn not to be afraid. I guess I just didn't think I had anything to be afraid of anymore."

Sokka and Katara sat with him around a small pit fire. Katara was reminded of the weeks they had spent like this when they first met Aang: just the three of them, traveling and camping together, except now they had better food. Miraculously, several of the bundles Ting Ting had packed for Katara had survived neatly stowed on Appa. Aang munched on a mix of nuts, dried fruit and fire flakes while Sokka devoured a stash of camel bear jerky.

Katara wrapped a blanket snuggly around herself. "I just wish you'd talked to us about it earlier instead of keeping it all in."

"Maybe you should get a therapist," Sokka said through a mouth full of meat. "Your unresolved Avatar emotions almost got us killed."

Aang looked at Katara and they both laughed together. "You mean Aang should talk to _you_, smart guy?" Katara giggled. "Because you have all the answers?"

"No," Sokka said defensively, "but he should talk to someone. Zuko was right. Just because Aang defeated the Fire Lord and saved the world doesn't mean he doesn't still have things to work out."

Aang didn't say anything and the subject was dropped, leaving Katara feeling like they hadn't quite resolved everything. Some of the things Aang had said in the spirit world had been more than concerning. But they were all very tired and tonight was not the night to talk it all out. It wasn't until the next day, as they flew back out over the water on Appa, that the opportunity to talk came up again.

Aang initiated the conversation. Sokka was driving, and she and Aang were both stretched out on their backs in Appa's saddle, looking up at the sky, which had cleared to a depthless blue during the night. She watched fluffy white clouds breeze by. Watching them with Aang made her feel happy. For a few minutes, she could almost imagine they were kids again.

Aang interrupted the moment. "So, you and Zuko…" Aang sounded so casual that Katara knew it had to be forced. "You're together now?"

When he asked that she shut her eyes, taking time to figure out how to answer and thinking how very _unlike_ old times this really was.

"Katara," Aang said, when after a while she still hadn't responded. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm not jealous of Zuko the way you think."

"But you are jealous," she confirmed. "Do you still have feelings for me, Aang?"

"I still care about you." Aang's voice trembled and he turned his head to the side away from her. "To be truthful, Katara, I still love you, and I don't really think that will ever change. But what I feel isn't very romantic. It would be pretty weird to kiss you now, and not just because Zuko would kill me for it."

"He doesn't own me." But that wasn't exactly true. Katara's heart had room for a lot of love, including the separate love she felt for both Aang and Zuko. Zuko, however, did possess an undefined part of her, and though Katara would always claim her body as her own, she only wanted to open it to Zuko.

"No, he doesn't, but he wants you to build a life with him. A home. I am jealous of that. I miss the time you and I spent together, and I know what it's like to associate you with home. He's lucky, and I sort of let myself feel like he had taken you away from me, when that's not what happened. I'm honestly happy for you both. If you can't be with me, I can't imagine anyone better for you than him."

"I think you're homesick," Katara said, feeling a little heartsick herself. Aang hadn't been the only one who missed their time together, and he was her family as much as she was his.

"I guess so," he said.

Katara thought about it. What had made the separation easier for her than for Aang? She remembered the many times she and Sokka had been reunited with their dad during the war, only to be separated from him again a few weeks later. Maybe that's what made it different for her. Maybe she'd learned much earlier than Aang that "home" is something you carry with you in your heart with the love you have for the ones who love you the most. Of course, there was no substitute for a real hug from someone who was part of your home.

"You know what most people do when they're really really homesick?" She leaned on her side so she could make eye contact with Aang. He was almost too tall for the saddle. His feet touched the end. She vaguely wondered if his future wife – she knew in her heart that he was destined to find that kind of love – would be tall like him or short.

"What's that?" He leaned to face her too and propped his hand up on his elbow, a gentle smile playing on his face.

She smiled back at him. "They go home."

"How am I supposed to do that?" he asked, but there was no accusation in the question as they both pondered the problem.

"Well," she said, turning on her back again. "There's no rule against you finding a place to live near me."

"So I should move to the Fire Nation with you?" Aang teased.

Katara blushed.

"I think Zuko would welcome the company. We could get apartments together in the Caldera."

"I don't think Zuko's going to let you just 'rent' an apartment." Aang laughed. "You'll probably be assigned some kind of fancy royal guest villa."

Katara hmphed indignantly. "If he wants that kind of control over me, then he can assign me one that will be right next door to yours."

Aang laughed harder. "I knew you'd be good for him."

"Hey guys," Sokka called from the reins. "We have a problem."

Aang and Katara sat up and looked out over the saddle. Katara's eyes widened. How many battle ships was that? A hundred? Two hundred? She scrambled over to Sokka and grabbed the telescope. The ships were flying high Fire Nation flags and moving aggressively toward them.

"Whoa," Aang said. "The Fire Nation is attacking."

Katara scanned the ships with the telescope until she found what she was looking for. Ting Ting was standing on the lookout post of the very first ship, one knee up on the rails, a messenger hawk propped on one arm and her free hand covering her eyes as she looked out over the ocean with battle-worthy focus.

Katara's face broke into a huge smile. "That is not an attack, Aang." She waved toward Ting Ting. "That is someone I'd like you to meet."

* * *

The sun shined into Zuko's private office on the ship. He sat behind a desk with a half-full cup of tea and grimly began attacking a tall stack of paperwork – a painful inconvenience to a three-week hiatus. But there was something on Zuko's mind – or rather someone – and he was having difficulty concentrating.

There was a knock on the door and Yin entered, carrying more scrolls. Yin bowed to Zuko.

"Good morning Yin."

"Good morning Lord Zuko," Yin replied. "Are you ready for the report, sir?"

Zuko leaned back at his desk. "Go ahead."

"Very good sir." Yin chugged forward through the morning's briefing. Things were in good order. There was rain in the capital, but the showers had alleviated the drought affecting the crops in the east. The Ministry of Education had a new proposal involving training for benders at the academies. The cabbage merchants involved in the suspicious black market ring had been acquitted at trial, but a helpful tip had come in from an anonymous source regarding the illegal trafficking of a cactus juice derivative. A number of non-benders had been recruited to serve in the international peacekeeping force Aang had suggested at the summit.

"And there are at least a dozen requests for approval from villages that wish to erect monuments of the Last Agni Kai, sir," Yin said. "Mostly of the role Master Katara played."

Zuko looked up in interest as Yin handed him a thick roll of monument plans. Zuko began to flip through them quickly.

His eyes bugged out.

"She's practically nude in over half of these!" His face reddened in anger and an especially explicit plan went up in flames at his fingertips. "That's not how it was! And she wasn't wearing Fire Nation clothes either!"

Yin smothered a laugh. "Of course, sir. I'll see to it that Lady Katara's representation is more – appropriately – clothed."

"You do that." Zuko scowled, inking a huge black X over a particularly horrible plan.

"Very well, Lord Zuko." Yin started to leave Zuko's office but popped his head back in. "I almost forgot," he said. "Our fleet was spotted on the horizon. The air bison is leading it."

Zuko was on deck and climbing the mast to the highest lookout point before the ink could dry.

"Officer!" he called to the sailor at the lookout. The sailor was holding a telescope. Zuko pointed to it. "May I?"

"Yes sir!" the sailor said, saluting and then immediately handing the telescope over. Zuko hung on to the ladder with one hand and looked out through the skies. Appa was flying majestically in the wind, all six legs stretched out like the air itself was carrying him, leading a fleet of over two-hundred ships. Aang sat at the reins, and Sokka and Katara were standing in the saddle behind him, looking toward Zuko's comparatively smaller fleet. Yin had sent a massive force out behind Katara, as if having one more ship could have helped her, but Zuko whole-heartedly approved anyway. As far as Zuko was concerned, Yin had his priorities straight.

Toph and Suki were already on deck, giddily waving. Zuko tossed the telescope back to the sailor and jumped most of the way down, skipping the ladder in favor of burning off some of the incredible energy flowing through his veins. He landed just behind Suki and Toph, and they both shrieked in a gratifyingly girly way. His enthusiasm drew a crowd onto the upper decks, and he had to fight hard to compose himself and avoid undignified pacing while they waited.

Appa yowled happily as he approached, and Zuko thrilled to the sound and sight of the air bison, though the more awesome sight was Aang himself, who was standing, confident and self-assured as he brought Appa down for landing on the ship. Zuko felt a chest-popping mix of pride and happiness, and his smile stretched across his face. Appa's passengers hurtled off his saddle.

For Sokka and Suki, there was running after that. Suki sprinted to Sokka and nearly knocked him over as she slammed into him full force, jumping up into his arms and wrapping her legs around him while he lifted her up. It was cute. So cute that the little crowd gathered on deck cheered, and even Zuko grinned watching their happy reunion.

Then there was Katara, and she was standing next to Aang, and for how much Zuko had been looking forward to seeing her, it seemed strange that at this moment there was a polite gap that existed between him and her. It was as if they had taken a step back from each other, and now the distance had to be crossed again.

Zuko's resolve shook unexpectedly. Things had been said that could have been interpreted in certain ways. If she didn't trust him. If he didn't trust her. Time had passed too. Time in which she could have changed her mind about him. About them. He was suddenly terrified by the possibility that the gap was permanent. They couldn't even meet each others' eyes at first, and they both watched Suki and Sokka instead. That minute stretched out infinitely until Zuko finally needed to know what she wanted. Maybe she needed to know what he wanted too, because when he looked, she looked, and her eyes were warm and shining. His apprehension melted away. He shifted his body weight slightly toward her and began to reach out with his hand.

Katara crossed the gap all at once. She left Aang's side and flung up her arms, and Zuko gratefully opened his arms and let her fly at him until they crashed together. Her arms crossed around his neck, his hands gripped her waist, she tilted up on her toes, his mouth was on hers and they were pouring all the emotions of the last few days into each other.

And it must have been cute too because the cheering got louder, someone nearby (Toph? Sokka? Yin?) whistled and Zuko didn't even care that they had an audience. He only pulled Katara closer, kissed her harder and let his tears mingle with the ones that were streaming down her face.

"I wasn't sure you would understand," Katara said, when they both had to stop for air.

He lifted his hands to her face, smoothed the skin along her jaw and ran his fingers behind her ears into her hair. "We're not that different." He kissed her forehead. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his chest while he wrapped his arms around her back. They hung on to each other tight, needing to hold and needing to be held.

"Let's never do that again," she said softly.

"Never," he agreed.

"We should try to die in our sleep, peacefully, when we're really really old," Katara murmured into his shoulder. She paused then added: "Together would be good."

"Die together?" Zuko chuckled nervously. "Don't you think you should decide if you want to live together with me that long first?"

"No," she gasped, before laughing breathlessly at herself. "I'm saying…I just…I can't…I don't want…" The tears began to roll down her cheeks again. He wiped them away with his thumbs. She looked up into his eyes hopefully and desperately and terrified. As terrified as he was of living without her, he realized. He trailed kisses along her hairline, then let his forehead rest against hers and breathed her in while her body trembled against his.

"I love you," he said, and it was stunning, absolute truth. There was never any hiding of the truth with Katara. It was simply impossible.

"I love you," she said, and the absolute truth of that statement shook him to his core. Then he was crushing her against him, desperate to sanctify their confessions. She reciprocated, pulling him down to her with her fingers laced through his hair. He became dimly aware of steam rising around them.

* * *

Katara had been worried about how Aang would interact with Zuko – What if Zuko was angry at Aang? What if Aang let his jealousy get the best of him? – But she never did see any more tension there. It was as if their talk in the spirit world had simply resolved whatever trouble might have been. Or maybe their friendship was just that strong.

Aang did, however, pull the: "I'm happy for you, but I'll kill you if you hurt Katara" thing that Sokka had tried. The Gaang was lounging in the private dinning room on board the ship again, and Aang sat across from Zuko and Katara, his back to the door. Aang leaned back casually on his hands as he issued the threat with a grin.

Sokka snorted. "Aang, you don't kill anyone."

Aang shrugged. "This is an exception to the rule." He glared at Zuko for just a second like he meant it, and Katara thought it was mostly a joke but also maybe kind of earnest when he added: "Zuko, I want this for you both, I really do, but I swear I will not hesitate."

Katara rolled her eyes – as if she really needed Aang or Sokka to look after her, especially when she already had Toph and Suki – but Zuko took it seriously. "I know. I wouldn't expect anything less."

Sokka gawked and then threw himself back on some of the cushions in the room. "This is so unfair." He turned to her. "You know, I'm happy for you too, sis, and I approve of this, but sometimes I think it just isn't right. Any other guy. Any other guy, and I could have threatened him myself. But you've just _got_ to be the kind of girl who hooks up the Fire Lord. What the hell?"

"Awh, Sokka, that's not true," Toph said comfortingly. "For a while there we all thought she was going to hook up with the Avatar. You couldn't have threatened him either. Now maybe if she'd ended up with Haru…"

"I did not have a thing with Haru!" Katara exclaimed while Zuko and Aang exchanged a knowing glance that made her ears feel hot.

Toph held up her hands. "Sorry Sweet Tea. I keep forgetting you only go in for men with real power. Particularly bad boys."

Zuko said "hmm" and smirked at her. She said "don't get any ideas" and he said "have you had a thing for me ever since I tied you to that tree?" She blushed, he cracked up, and Sokka and Aang shook their heads at her.

"Wow, I miss all the good stuff," Toph said resentfully.

There was a warm haze that drifted over the evening as they settled into banter and conversation about the events that had transpired and the events that were yet to come.

"Do you think you're going to have any more trouble bending Aang?" Suki asked. "If fear was taking away your bending, it seems like it would be pretty easy for the problem to come back."

"I don't think so," Aang said.

"Because you won't ever be afraid of anything again?" Toph asked.

"No," Aang said. "Because I know now that everyone has things they're afraid of, and it's important to face those fears. Otherwise fear can take over, and you can end up hurting the people you care about."

"And if you're the Avatar, your fear can manifest itself as a spirit capable of fighting you and weakening your friends," Sokka added.

"We still never figured out why there were no benders in that first village we went to," Katara said. "They really needed help there."

Aang nodded. "I know. But I don't think that was related to my problem."

"I don't know about that," Zuko said. "Those villagers were pretty downtrodden. It could be that it's been such a hopeless, numb place that even if you were born capable of elemental bending, you wouldn't have had the emotional fuel to do it there."

"Aang," Katara said, "Maybe you should go back and see if there's anything you can do to help them."

"Well," he said, "I do still need to find benders that want to work on the alchemy project and recruit non-benders for the peacekeeping initiative. I could head north again and re-visit the village. It's too bad our three weeks are up." He looked around warmly at all of them. "I miss having us all together like this."

Toph winked at Zuko. "Oh, I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other this year."

"Let's reconvene at the North Pole in a few weeks," he suggested.

"You hate the North Pole," Katara said, surprised.

"I've heard good things about the guest houses," he said.

Sokka frowned.

"What, you don't want to meet up again?" Suki teased.

"No." He glanced around like he was looking for something. "That's not it. It's just, there's something bothering me."

"What?" Aang asked. "Are you wondering why the story was called 'Another Word for Alchemy' when we hardly did any alchemy?"

Sokka shook his head. "No," he scoffed. "Just – has anyone noticed that Momo is missing?"

"Momo's not missing," Zuko said. "I had Yin put him in a room on the ship. He's been getting fat and happy on an endless supply of nuts, berries and bugs."

Everyone looked at Zuko.

"What?" he said defensively. "I'm the Fire Lord. I have resources."

All-in-all, it was a perfect evening, and the only disappointment was that the night had to end when everyone started yawning and Toph fell asleep with her head down on the table. Suki and Sokka stood up together and said they were calling it a night.

"Me too," Aang said. "It's been a long day."

"No," Katara whined childishly, resistant to relinquishing her cozy spot against Zuko's chest. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and held tight while Aang pulled Toph up from the table and headed for the door with her.

"Maybe you could use a midnight tour," Zuko murmured into her ear after they had left.

Katara pouted. "You already gave me a tour of the ship."

"I was thinking you might like to see the Fire Lord's private quarters." His voice was low and raspy, and she found that she was not very tired after all.

* * *

He expected her to meet him in passion. She did. She got tangled up with him and his body reacted to the sweet sounds she made – the pleased whimpers, the little moans, the ahhs and mmms – that matched the catches in his own breath and the low sounds that emanated from his own throat. The give and take was gentle and easy. The experience was both emotional and physical, and it was punctuated by pausing and shared laughter and kissing.

What he didn't expect was how much he would want – need – to solder the connection between them, so much so that he couldn't let her go after, and as their mingled breath slowed he thought that he had never felt so whole.

* * *

She expected him to be an emotional lover. He was. His hands moved down her body like he was learning her. His mouth found the hollow spot between her collarbone and her neck, and he lifted her up to him with his fingers splayed out across the back of her rib cage. She delighted in the sharp breaths he took as her hands ran down his body and the hiss he made when she pressed her thumbs along his hip bones. The push and pull was elegant and balanced. If there was pain, it was only a shadow in what was otherwise an exercise of pleasure and trust.

What she didn't expect was how much more she wanted – needed – even after it was over. It was like a door had been flung open, and when she woke the next morning curled in the silk sheets on his bed and he was curled next to her, smiling in his sleep, she could only think it would be nice if the sun would hold off a little while longer. She supposed she'd have to settle for a sequel instead.

* * *

**The End.**


	23. Epilogue or Prequel

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer: **ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

* * *

Katara and Aang returned together to the North Pole alone. It set off rumors that were altogether unpleasant. Then when Aang left a few days later to head to the village where there were no benders, even worse rumors circulated. Conventional wisdom held that the Avatar had broken her heart and was leaving her for a woman he'd met in a village on their trip. Katara got tired of correcting the story after a few days. After all, she was planning to wrap up her business at the North Pole soon enough.

Keiro took it as an opportunity to start hanging around again. She tried to correct his delusions, but he didn't seem to believe her when she said she was seeing someone else.

"Other than the Avatar?" he said. "Who?"

"I told you," she sighed again. "I'm dating Zuko."

"Yeah." He laughed. "And what I'm asking is who it _actually_ is."

She started to avoid places where Keiro could possibly run into her by "accident" and she looked anxiously forward to the Gaang's reunion, which had unfortunately been pushed back to the end of summer. The stack of letters from Zuko accumulating after a few weeks did not make up for the separation, and Katara began to feel like the absence was causing her heart to physically tear apart.

"This is killing me," Zuko wrote in one of his letters. "What were we thinking?"

She couldn't have agreed more.

By the time Suki and Sokka arrived again, on the same boat as Toph from an Earth Kingdom port, Katara was at her wits' ends. Aang wasn't scheduled to arrive for another day, and Zuko's fleet was still at least two days away. That gave Keiro time to try unsuccessfully to ingratiate himself with her brother. Katara began to feel desperate.

"I'm going to knock that guy out if he tries to talk to me one more time," Sokka told her the next day, while they lounged together in the flat Katara had been renting in the North Pole. They sat on crates that had been packed for over a week. Katara was starting to hate the North Pole. It was too cold, she thought, and she'd been daydreaming of bending water that was warmed in the sun all day.

She hung her head at Sokka's comment, and Suki hugged her. "Don't worry. This isn't going to last long. Zuko and Aang will both arrive soon, and then we're going to get you out of here and you probably won't see Keiro again for a long long time."

But Aang didn't show up that day as planned. Instead, they received a message that he was "running late." Toph tried to cheer her up by telling her about her latest bending scams, but Katara was only half-capable of listening.

The next morning, there was no sign of Zuko's fleet at the dock, and word came that weather had delayed him another day too. The women waterbenders asked Katara to lead them in a lesson one more time, and they faced an unexpectedly peeved teacher and a sweaty, harsh workout. They whispered behind her back about how the Avatar was leading her on. He still wasn't there. Keiro watched the lesson from the sidelines and tried to coax her into noodles with him for lunch. She told him she wasn't hungry.

Chief Arnook pushed back the welcome feast he had planned to greet the Avatar and the Fire Lord to the next night. Katara watched the sun make its way through the sky the next day and began to believe neither Aang nor Zuko would ever show up. Toph convinced her not to join the women waterbenders for another lesson.

"I just don't think it would be a good idea. I'd spar with you myself, but all the earth here is frozen." Instead, they sat by the docks for most of the afternoon, and Katara listened half-heartedly to Toph ramble about Teo and how he was helping her plan "the world's awesomest bending tournament" at the Northern Air Temple.

"Bad day?" Sokka said to her that evening as she sat down across from him, Suki and Toph at the feast. Chief Arnook hadn't heard from either the Avatar or Zuko, but he assured Katara that they were both expected that evening. Katara put her head down in her arms on the table. Her seat was located between two empty chairs.

Toph kicked her from under the table. "Don't be so down, Sugar Queen. I'm sure both your boys will be here sometime tonight."

But Keiro took the empty chairs as the perfect chance to approach. He was sitting down next to her, she was scooting away, and Sokka was standing up to say something that definitely wasn't going to be rated T when Aang and Zuko finally walked in together, chatting casually. They stopped at the entrance to the banquet hall, Zuko's soldiers flanking both of them, and waited calmly for Chief Arnook to greet them, looking for all the world like strong, political leaders instead of the goofball and dork Katara knew them to be. Her heart swelled and started skipping beats.

"Whoa, I did not realize the Avatar was besties with the Fire Lord," Keiro said, stealing her attention away from Aang and Zuko again. Sokka smacked his forehead with his palm. Katara stood up, her body heating with anger and frustration. The water in the goblets at their table began to bubble. "Power corrupts, you know," Keiro continued obliviously. "Bet they both think they're really something."

Katara's eyes widened and she was only semi-aware of the way the water in all the goblets on all the tables started floating up into the air.

"Um, Katara," she heard Suki say meekly, but Katara was going to teach Keiro a lesson. _Someone_ had to teach him. Keiro stood up too and crossed his arms – Katara had never noticed before that he really had fat arms – and she glared icily at him.

She barely even saw Aang getting closer in her peripheral vision, or Zuko stuck behind while Chief Arnook tried to talk to him about something. All she knew was Keiro was a presumptuous ass, and Aang and Zuko were here, and she had been waiting forever to see them both and Keiro was _not_ going to ruin this.

Luckily – very luckily – Aang reached her before she could do anything truly bad to Keiro.

"Hey!" Aang said loudly, throwing his arm around Katara's rigid shoulders. He winked at her and grinned broadly before kissing her cheek. "How's my favorite waterbender?"

Keiro's jaw dropped.

"_You_." He pointed to Katara, his face getting red, then he pointed to Aang. His voice shook. "_Him_. I was right! I was totally right!"

Aang tilted his head, pulled Katara toward him slightly, and said, "I'm sorry, I can't remember your name. Who are you?"

Katara would have kissed Aang out of sheer gratitude right then except she was too occupied watching Zuko stride toward them, and she had forgotten he had the chameleon ability to look extremely royal when he wanted. He walked with his chest out and his shoulders back and his mouth turned slightly up at one corner. He met her eyes.

"Avatar, I think you have something of mine," he said to Aang, when he got close enough that Katara could see the mirth in his face.

"You know, I think you're right," Aang said playfully, as if they were both in on this joke, and he released Katara to Zuko, who had his arm around her waist in an instant and was sweeping her in for a smoldering kiss that lasted much too long for show. She melted in his embrace and water all over the room splashed gently back into goblets.

When he let her go, Zuko turned to Keiro, who was frozen in his spot, his eyes rolling panicked from Aang to Katara to Zuko and then back to Aang. Aang crossed his arms and smiled evilly at Keiro. Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"That's my seat," Zuko said flatly to Keiro, and when Keiro didn't move, Zuko snapped his fingers and sparks of blue electricity shot into the air. "This would be a good time for you to leave," he added.

"Yes, sir," Keiro said immediately, backing away and staring at Katara as he did. Zuko exchanged a satisfied look with Aang, but Keiro's stare deepened into a heavy glare as he continued to look at Katara. "You-" he started to say again, his voice a mix of awe, annoyance and rage.

She felt Zuko and Aang tense at her sides.

"You-" Keiro said again. "You-

But Katara was done, and she wasn't about to give him the chance to finish his thought. She shook her head, pushed her palm forward, and booted Keiro roughly out the door with a large chunk of ice.

"I can't believe _you're_ my girlfriend," Zuko said proudly while they all watched Keiro flee. She smirked at Zuko.

"Very nice, Katara!" Aang said enthusiastically.

"I was about to do that myself," Sokka said, pointing down. He was still standing too. "With my real boot!"

"I'd have gotten to him first," Suki said, grinning at Katara.

"No, that would have been me," Toph said, crossing her arms smugly.

And Katara thought that as long as these were her people, she was looking forward to everything.

* * *

**Author's Epic Confession:**

I rewatched the whole ATLA series in August 2014 and become enamored with Zutara again. Several weeks later, I convinced my poor husband (who doesn't even have enough dork in him to have watched the original Star Wars trilogy) to start watching ATLA with me. It was a little bit "Eska" on my part to ask this of him. I thought I would turn him into my own personal Zutara friend/slave, and he didn't have a lot of choice in the matter.

Unfortunately, karma bit me in the butt. To my great disgust, my husband was a Kataang shipper from episode 1. He thought Aang and Katara were cute together, he theorized that the hero should get the girl, and he said Zuko was too "evil" for Katara.

So I was pretty much like: "What would Azula do?" and the answer was something like: "Listen, hubby, you're going to watch every single ATLA episode and listen to me analyze every scene for its evidence of Zutara or I will do something unspeakably horrible to you. And it will not be smexy."

But in the meanwhile, I had no personal Zutara friends. In a lot of ways, this whole fanfiction (all 100K+ words of it) was a result of the fact that I needed someone to listen to the way Zutara plays out in my head. I know this whole story was cliché, but all I want is for Zuko and Katara to end up happy together. If you read through the whole thing, then you did me a great service simply by listening to my thoughts on how that happy ending (happy beginning?) should go. Thank you.

Now…do you think if I banish my husband for a few years, he'll return to our house looking like Zuko?

* * *

**Note to Loyal Readers:**

If you have been a reader since the beginning, then you may know that this story has been edited over time to correct a few glaring plot holes and problems (like me forgetting that Toph is blind), and just generally to make it better. As of today, January 1, 2015, I am officially ending the editing party to make way for a sequel. You can look for that in 2015.

I am also thinking of doing a series of outtakes from other the other characters' perspectives. Oh…and a Zutarian lemon has crept up in my mind. It would be AU to this AU, and probably not appropriate for this fanfiction site, but I'll try to make some kind of announcement if I start publishing on some other website.

That is all. Thanks again for your reviews and favorites and follows. Seriously, fanfiction writers live for that stuff.


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